The SOLDIER Way
by diablo777
Summary: For him, defeat merely meant more time to increase his power.  Now Sephiroth wants his puppet back.  The repercussions pull three boys into Gaia and a hero is reborn. 1 Year Post AC.  Cloud/Tifa Zack/Aerith, Mild Cloud/Zack/OC. No real yaoi. Chapter 9 up
1. Chapter 1

_So this is my first story ever. I don't consider myself a writer but I have been inspired some to attempt to write my own story. So this will probably be riddled with mistakes even though I have proof read it several times. Reviews are wanted, welcome, including constructive criticism. I have a few chapters done already so I will post them every couple days until they are all posted, then it will be as fast as I can write it between work and school. I would like to thank the following authors for writing such great stories that inspired me to try and write: strange and intoxicating -rsa-, PrincessTurk, PrincessMoka, Strifeme, DamagedWorth, Thesarge400 (he/she wrote Contingency theory for Avatar, its on my favorites) and anyone else, if I forgot to mention your name I apologize, but you had a part in this as well so Thanks. _

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII or anything related to FFVII. This is just the musings of an inspired and bored mind.

...

Cloud Strife stared up at the ceiling as he was trying to drift off to sleep. Delivering multiple packages all over Edge City had taken its toll and it was good to be back upstairs in the 7th Heaven Bar with his woman. Tifa smiled at him as he rolled over to face her. He was so thankful for having a family finally. Denzel was old enough to start 7th grade and had gotten all the school supplies ready. Cloud and Tifa had enough money to fully support him after the success of the bar and Cloud's delivery service.

"You ok?" he asked as he leaned into her. She nodded and looked back into him with eyes full of happiness.

"Marlene comes back in two weeks, she's been with Barrett for over a year now. It'll be fun to see how much she's grown."

"Denzel should be happy too," the blonde whispered as he brushed Tifa's hair. Tifa looked at him, their eyes meeting each other in love.

"Whats on your mind Cloud?"

"Nothing really, just going over in my head how I'm possibly the luckiest guy in the world. I'm with you, we take care of Denzel, we are financially secure, and there has been peace for a year now. Finally, we are a true family."

Tifa continued to stare into his eyes. She was happy for all of their friends that everything ended well, but she was most happy for Cloud. With everything that had happened, from Avalanche, false memories, Aerith's death, Sephiroth and Geostigma, Cloud had been through a lot more than any normal person could have possibly been through. And yet, here she was, with him in bed, after everything, both of them truly happy. They kissed and shared a passionate moment in time before nodding off to sleep.

...

Cloud's eyes snapped open, taking in the sight that had come to him. He was in a dark area with floating islands of land around him and green streams of energy pulsing around the area. What could only be described as an area inside the planet, he recognized the lifestream flowing around him and the pillars of land. In front of him was a box, the same box that Kadaj had with him over a year ago that he described as "his reunion."

"Go on, open it," a familiar voice said.

Despite all the warnings going off in his head, the blonde moved toward the box. No matter how hard he willed himself to not pick it up and open it, his body moved forward, as if on its own power. Opening it, fear gripped him as he saw a menacing head look back at him. He knew it was her head...Jenova.

Then it suddenly disappeared and he felt a hand on the back of his shoulder. He shuddered at the thought of who it might be.

"Good to see you...Cloud."

Cloud refused to look behind him. "You're not real, this is a dream, you're dead, I killed you, for good," he yelled in a firm voice.

"Didn't I tell you Cloud, that I would never be a memory? Surely you remember," Sephiroth said as he turned the blonde to face him. "Your darkness keeps calling me back, my empty puppet."

Cloud swatted at Sephiroth's hand and jumped back. He stared into those green catlike eyes, looked at the long silver flowing hair, the almost surreal face that looked beautiful and menacing at the same time. "I'm not your puppet Sephiroth, I'm not afraid of you, you have no power over me or my family and friends anymore," he shouted, the mako green starting to creep into his blue eyes. "This is nothing more than a..."

"A what? Dream? Hmmph, that's what you think. And Family? You? Don't make me laugh. Is that what you call that pathetic excuse for a mind broken puppet, a wench with a big rack and self pity, and an orphan who will amount to nothing, leeching off of everything around him to barely scrape by," Sephiroth mocked in that smooth voice.

In an instant, Cloud brandished the First Tsurugi and aimed at the General's head, only to find it blocked by that sick looking body length sword. "Shut up! I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!"

"Please, don't refer to Mother that way, she is much more pure," Sephiroth mocked as he quickly tossed Cloud's blade aside and lunged forward. He grabbed the blonde's sword with his bare hand. "You won't be needing this Cloud." In that instant, the First Tsurugi dissolved into dust, and Cloud was weaponless.

"This is no dream Cloud, you will do as I say. I will show you what happens if you don't." Sephiroth snapped his fingers and the next instant Cloud was standing in the bar section of 7th Heaven. Tifa and Denzel were working there and there was no sign of the silver haired menace. "See this so called family you think you have. There not really your family, they can't love a puppet," Sephiroth claimed as he suddenly appeared behind Cloud.

"You're wrong Sephiroth," Cloud smiled. "I know without a doubt, that you're wrong. All I see here is love. Like I said, you have no power over me anymore."

Sephiroth looked irritated at this statement. But it was only for a split second as he gave Cloud that wicked smile he always had. "No Cloud, there isn't love here, only death."

In the next moment the blonde blinked his eyes, he stared at one of the most horrid scenes he had ever looked at. Tifa was hanging from a noose, blood running down her body, with clear cut marks on her wrists, face, and body.

"Cloud, help me!" shouted another voice, causing his stomach to turn as he looked in the other corner of the bar. "Please Cloud, I...I don't want to die."

"Denzel!" Cloud shouted while Sephiroth had Denzel by the head, his fingernails pressed firmly into the boy's head, blood trickling down his face. Cloud tried to sprint towards Denzel, not caring that he still didn't have First Tsurugi.

"Stop," Sephiroth simply said as he lifted Denzel off the ground. Cloud suddenly couldn't move his legs and looked with fear at Denzel.

"Don't worry Denzel, I'll get you out of this, I'll save you," he tried to reassure the boy, but who was he kidding, it was hopeless. "Sephiroth, let him go. You want me right? Denzel doesn't need to be involved."

"Yes Cloud, I want you to do what I want, and he is a distraction," smirked the General as he peered into Denzel's frightened eyes. "Why do you like this orphan so much? He is nothing but a waste of space, taking up resources that could be used for those worthy of living."

"Sephiroth, you once told me you'd give me despair, you've already done that. You told me you wanted me on my knees, begging for forgiveness. Well, here I am," Cloud begged as he kneeled to the ground. "Just don't kill him, let him go. Do with me what you want," as tears streamed from the blonde's eyes.

"This won't have to happen Cloud, if you do what I tell you to. Seek my body out, and you will know what to do next. You will despair, and you will beg for forgiveness."

A silver blade suddenly shot through Denzel's chest, twisting 90 degrees. Denzel screamed out in pain, and fell lifeless, his eyes going blank.

Denzel!" cried Cloud, and his face slumped to the floor. "Why Sephiroth, why do you continue to torment me?"

"You are my puppet Cloud, you are mine and your life belongs to no one else. Now go and seek out my body." Sephiroth told the blonde as he left.

...

"Noooo!" Cloud screamed as he shot up from bed, tears streaming down his eyes. "Tifa, Denzel!"

"Cloud its alright, I'm here." Tifa grabbed Cloud and enveloped him in her arms.

Cloud wiped his eyes and jumped out of bed after Tifa held him for a minute, breaking into a dead run right to Denzel's room. "Cloud Denzel's alright, don't wake him," Tifa yelled, getting out of bed herself.

"I have to be sure," he yelled back.

Cloud burst into Denzel's room, finding him fast asleep. Man, that boy was a heavy sleeper. The blonde though he woke him for a second, coming in loudly to the room. But Denzel had a peaceful look on his face. He stirred slightly then was as still as a rock. Cloud examined Denzel's body, looking for something, although he wasn't sure what exactly. Satisfied, he let his hand rest on Denzel's forehead for a second, before leaving the room. "Denzel, I will protect you...I promise." As he said that, thoughts flooded Cloud's mind of Aerith being killed by Sephiroth, then thoughts of Zack dying on the cliff. But Cloud knew better. He was forgiven, no longer bound by his sins.

"Cloud, tell me what happened," Tifa looked at him while he came out of Denzel's room.

"Tifa, it was so real. I was in the planet somewhere, and then Sephiroth came. He threatened me by killing you and Denzel. I was powerless to stop him. He said for me to seek out his body." Cloud looked over at Tifa, who had a concerned look on her face. "But it was all a dream, Sephiroth is dead, he can't do anything anymore."

Tifa smiled at Cloud. "Cloud, I'm glad we talk now. A year ago, you wouldn't talk at all, now its wonderful. I love being able to share your emotions with you, even if its painful. And your right Cloud, you killed him, he is gone for good," Tifa reassured him.

"That old Cloud is dead, he has no place in this family. And thats what we are Tifa, a family. And this family won't be broken." Cloud leaned in close to Tifa and kissed her. Tifa returned the kiss passionately, with Cloud letting out a small whimper. Both of them returned to bed, assured that the silver haired menace was gone for good.

...

_So what will happen to Cloud? And is Sephiroth really back? Mwhahahaha. I will introduce the next main characters in he next couple chapters. I will post every couple days initially to give everyone a chance to read it. Thanks for reading._


	2. Chapter 2

_So here is chapter 2. Thanks to all who reviewed and took time to read the story. A heads up, in the story if the words are italicized then its the character thinking to him/herself. Also, this is where the OC is inserted so sorry if certain readers don't like it. Anyways, Chapter 2 is Up. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII. _

_..._

I was your average teenager getting out of school, hanging with friends on the bus as i rode home from another boring day at Century High. It was a good school, but all schools have the same issue. Jocks, nerds, hot women, drugs, and annoying school work. No, I wasn't a nerd, but I wasn't a jock either, although I played on the football team...as a backup. I was what you would call an average high school student in a good school, that was filled with rich kids. I wasn't rich, but I wasn't poor either. My name is James Sully and this is my story.

I looked over at my other friends across the aisle and punched one of them in the arm playfully. "So are we going to the lake this afternoon, its summer and the sun is out late. We only have three weeks of school left." I looked enthusiastically at Dave. The lake was the best place on a hot summer day and it would be good to kick back with my friends, Dave, Matt, and Chris with a couple girls and some beer.

"Hey man, we have that test tomorrow remember, there's no way your gonna pass if we go up to the lake." Dave told me in an admonishing tone.

"Nonsense, I am the master procrastinator, and I have a bad case of senioritis right now."

"Alright then, its your test grade," Dave sighed, before smirking back at me and showing me in his backpack 4 beers. "There's one for each of us and the girls will have to bring some of their own if they want."

A huge smile swept across my face. "You snuck those through school? There's a reason your one of my best friends." I replied.

"Yeah, I knew you'd cave to senioritis. I will call Matt and Chris, you call Rachel and Amy. Lets all head up at 4:30pm."

"Sounds good to me," I smiled, all giddy inside at the fun of swimming, having a cold beer and being with friends and two hot women.

After getting off the bus, I got a hold of Amy and Rachel and invited them up, then I drove over and picked Dave up in my car. Matt and Chris met us up at Lake Salmon and we immediately jumped in. I didn't care how cold it was, it felt good. Sipping on my beer afterward, I spotted three guys walking up to us.

"Uh Oh," looks like we got trouble," I warned and got Matt and Chris' attention. Three of the biggest jerks in school walked up to us. Jake, Hale, and Wes were three big basketball jocks with the stereotypical bully attitude. Matt was the team captain on our football team and even he was 4 inches short of Jake, the basketball captain.

"Come girls, why would you hang out with these losers? They can't offer you what I can," Jake sneered and grabbed at his crotch.

"Is that what a failure of a man says to a girl, how sad," Dave chuckled.

"What nerd, like you can't do better, you who does nothing but play WoW and is afraid to lose his virginity," Jake then shoved Dave to the ground. "You only pretend to have a life by showing up here, nerd."

I felt bad, Dave was even shorter than me and didn't play much beyond street basketball. He was definitely not an athlete. Then again, neither was I. "Leave him alone bitch, or are you too much of a coward that you will intimidate us to get Rachel and Amy from us."

"Oh, so you worthless bastard, are going to try to defend him." Jake looked at me, with almost a flicker of dark humor in his eyes.

"Guys stop it," yelled Amy. "Jake, your such a jerk and you'll never get anything except a slut with that attitude."

Jake looked at Amy with a sneer in his eye. He snapped his fingers and both Wes and Hale descended on Matt and Chris, and before I knew it, Chris was on the ground with a bloody nose and bruised over his ribs. Matt fought back hard but was overwhelmed by 2 to 1 odds since Chris and Dave had no shred of athleticism and I wasn't much better. I threw a punch at Jake, but it didn't connect and then I found myself on my back with a bloody lip while Jake picked up Dave, twisting his arms behind his back.

"Now Amy, that's no way to talk to a hero. You don't want to sleep with the one who single-handedly won our school three state championships in a row?" Jake mocked at her. "You'll see sweetheart, I always get what I want, and I want you with me tonight. If you don't come with me..."

I heard a cracking sound behind Dave and watched him yell in pain. Jake had just broken Dave's wrist.

"I will break the other one. You and Rachel will love it at my place, more than hanging out with these losers," Jake said with a wicked smile.

I looked over, seeing how my friends were bleeding and in pain. I was probably the least injured. I looked over at Rachel and before making my own move, I tossed her a large fist sized rock from the lake. She caught it and before Hale could even show his surprised face, she had clubbed him and then Wes. Both went down with broken noses and were dazed. I jumped up right at Jake, mustered enough courage and kicked right where it counts...in the balls. Jake doubled over in pain. I knew it was a bastard move but I didn't care, he threatened my friends. Just then, before Jake could retaliate, everyone else at the lake came over and laughed at Jake, Hale and Wes. The three had been embarrassed with our little maneuver. Jake looked with eyes of hate at everyone, while Wes and Hale just turned red with embarrassment at losing to a girl hitting them with a rock.

Jake looked at me with acid in his eyes, "this isn't over, I will have revenge. You will feel pain for embarrassing me like this. No one embarrasses me in front of a crowd." Jake and his cronies then left and we decided to leave as well, our afternoon ruined but with all of us alive and a sense of coolness as this news would spread quickly the next day at school.

...

Later, I drove Dave to the hospital where they straightened out his broken wrist and put it in a cast. Matt and I headed back to my house while Chris and Dave were at their own. I then remembered that I had a test and it was already 7:30pm. Dammit, I didn't want to study but I had to do decent otherwise government class would be jeopardized. Matt also needed to study so we were going to work together. Matt looked at my wall in my room to see a large poster with two men with their swords facing each other.

"What poster is that?" he asked, staring intently at the spiky haired blonde and the tall silver haired man.

"It represents many things; good vs evil, light vs darkness, a powerful story and a great cast of characters, whatever you want to call it. Final Fantasy VII is the best game I've ever played and will ever play. You should try it Matt."

"Yeah but what makes it so great?" Matt asked as he continued to look at the poster, tilting his head.

"Think of a character who has been to hell and back, who overcomes a false identity, has his girlfriend killed by his nemesis, and in the end wins and saves the planet he's on, with tons of plot twists along the way," I confidently stated. "I even have the movie called _Advent Children_ and the prequel game, Crisis Core.

"You're really into this are you," Matt laughed.

"Yeah, its just such a great story line, and lets not forget about my favorite character of all time, although he was a sacrificial hero. He died in the prequel, good ol' Zack Fair, the best warrior in the game."

"But if he was the best warrior, then why is he dead?" Matt continued to laugh at my sudden enthusiasm.

"His death was necessary, sad but necessary, it was part of the plot and a major plot device in the story. You should appreciate that Matt, since you like to watch plot twisting shows like Lost," I snickered as I lightly shoved him. Clearly we were both distracted from studying.

Just then, we heard the doorbell. "I'll get it," I told Matt. I wondered who it was as I went down stairs. My parents were divorced and didn't have many friends, and I was stuck with my Dad. It was his house, and he was a heavy drinker, unfortunately. Luckily not abusive but yes, an alcoholic. As I went downstairs and opened the door, suddenly, whoever was on the other side, kicked the door in and sent me flying into the wall.

"I told you I would get what I want, I will make you feel pain." the voice snickered filled with acid like hate.

"Jake, I should have known." Jake quickly pressed me up against the wall and led me upstairs. When Matt came out, Jake pointed a gun at him.

"Both of you into the room," Jake ordered.

I backed into my room and Jake closed the door behind Matt and I. Trapped in my room with a psycho, I had no idea what to do.

"So what are you going to do Jake, kill us? How original." I smirked. Matt looked at me like I was crazy.

"hehe, I know you don't care about yourself cause of your broken family, but what about your friends," Jake smirked back at me. Then he clubbed Matt over the head with the gun. My stomach twisted and Jake's words stung me, knowing I had a crappy family and my friends were all I had.

"You bastard," I yelled, but Jake quickly had the gun pointed back at me.

"I don't think so," he said. "I know you feel the most pain when your friends are hurt. And now I will hurt you more." Jake took aim with the gun at Matt's leg.

I thought about what to do, knowing if I moved at Jake, that Matt and I had a high chance of death, but we did anyway with Jake's unstable mind in control. _How nerdy I am_, I briefly thought to myself, _What would Zack do? _I let out a smile, knowing he would just overpower Jake and then strike a victory pose shouting "OH YEAH." And with that I made my move, and lunged at Jake.

It took him by surprise and I thought I would get the gun from him, Matt also jumping forward. My hand on the gun, I thought I could reach it. I was wrong when Jake pulled the knife out and cut my arm forcing me to lose the gun. He also cut Matt across the palm of his hand and then pointed the gun at me.

"Well this was fun, but it looks like I win. I always win, I am Jake Almasy." And Jake shot a bullet at me. His aim was slightly off cause the bullet went right next to my left ear and into my FF VII poster. What happened next was crazy.

Jake suddenly had a nervous look on his face and pointed behind me. I turned around and saw ripples like water moving across the poster from where the bullet hit. Matt also noticed it. I suddenly felt myself drawn to the poster.

"What the hell is this!" Jake yelled.

"I don't know," yelled Matt in return.

I couldn't believe what was unfolding in front of me. The poster was drawing us in. And before I knew it, I felt like I was falling. Falling into darkness. I tried to grab Matt's arm but I couldn't and watched him disappear into a dark background with swirling green energy around all three of us. Jake tried to grab me, and I kicked at him, sending him away from me into the swirling green energy. It might not have been the kindest thing to do as our world's were turned upside down but he was my enemy...and he shot at me! I continued to free fall in the dark surroundings, with green tendrils of energy coming up my legs. I didn't even know what to think at this point. And then, everything went dark.

...

_So there it is, the three boys. Who knows what will happen to them. And based on the subtitle description, everyone should know who is introduced in Chapter 3 :) I will post Chapter 3 in a day or two. Let me know what you think of using the point of view of James. Please review and thanks for reading._


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey everyone, so here is chapter 3. I think everyone knows who this chapter is about hehe. Again, sorry if there are any mistakes, I have proof read this several times but don't consider myself a writer. Anyways, thanks to all who read and reviewed. Enjoy_

_Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII_

Being in the Lifestream was weird experience. After dying, he didn't know what it would be like, until he saw his mentor, Angeal Hewley. Later, he was reunited with Aerith when she met her fate at the hands of Sephiroth. But perhaps the biggest thing he missed still while he was in the Lifestream was the food. Zack Fair didn't feel hungry, but he always missed the taste of good food and a cold beer. As he looked around, he saw a green grass field with rolling hills. This was what he saw in the Lifestream, others saw different, pleasant images as they were in a makeshift heaven. A pair of hands then covered his eyes.

"Helloooo," said a sweet voice behind him.

Zack turned around to see the beautiful eyes of a Cetra facing him. She still had the pink bow he gave her as a gift. He grabbed her around the waist, lifting her off the ground with one of his infamous bear hugs. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they both passionately kissed. As Zack and Aerith sat there looking at the field, Angeal suddenly appeared behind them both, having teleported through the lifestream.

"Dammit Angeal, quit sneaking up on me like that!" Zack yelled as he jumped at Angeal's presence. Aerith and Angeal started laughing at him.

"You still haven't gotten used to moving around in the lifestream have you. Just like you never got used to not eating," Angeal chuckled.

"You always were trying to find a way to indulge your stomach Zack," Aerith joked and shoved him in the arm.

"Hey Aerith I thought you were on my side, you both love picking on me," Zack whined and gave his trademark puppy eyes.

"You still act like a puppy after all these years," Angeal said.

Aerith looked at Zack and gave him another kiss, before taking a more serious tone. "We did come to tell you something interesting that you should know. There has been a breach in the Lifestream. We don't know yet how it happened but apparently three people are now on our planet that weren't here before."

"You just said people, their human? Zack asked

"Yes," Angeal said. "They have been scattered over the planet, each going to a different area. But that isn't whats bothering me." Angeal motioned with his hand and a small amount of pure green Lifestream condensed into an image showing tainted lifestream colored black, infecting people.

"Geostigma," Aerith said, looking at the image.

"I thought that was eliminated when Cloud killed Sephiroth and Aerith and her Cetra ancestors influenced the lifestream to kill it," Zack said with a puzzled look on his face. He stared there looking at the image and started thinking about Cloud battling Sephiroth. Damn, he really wanted to help the blonde fight Sephiroth; he didn't want Cloud to bear the burden alone, and all he could do was give him some encouraging words. He thought about Cloud often and would sometimes peer through the lifestream to see how chocobo-head was doing.

"Zack, focus. Don't space out on us." Angeal admonished him.

"Sorry," Zack apologized. "Anyway, do we know where the geostigma is coming from?"

"It is known that all the Jenova cells couldn't be killed off in the lifestream, but they also are harmless without a strong will to drive them. We only know of one person who could manipulate the Jenova cells like that." Aerith said with a grim look on her face.

"Sephiroth was always known for having a strong will. It could be him." Angeal looked on past the images that were shown.

Zack looked at Angeal with a sick look on his face. "There is no way in hell it could be him. He has been killed twice now. Cloudy was a hero, he killed Sephiroth!" Zack kept frantically yelling at Angeal.

Aerith put her arms around him. "Zack, I will find out what is going on. Angeal, take Zack while I go talk to my ancestors. We will not let Sephiroth come back again."

"Come back? I already have," a smooth and cold voice said to them.

"Impossible!" yelled Angeal. He looked at the image he had shown them and watched it condense into a cloud of black tainted lifestream. Out of the dark cloud stepped Sephiroth.

"Did you three miss me? Did you actually think my will can be snuffed out? I will eventually control the Lifestream, just like my mother tried to do long ago. The difference is that I am stronger than mother. She has left me her cells to do as I please," Sephiroth coldly announced. Aerith, Zack, and Angeal stepped back away from him.

"We won't let you win," Angeal looked with emotion at the former General, remembering the days when they were friends. "Why can't you let it go Seph. Why won't you fade into the lifestream in peace."

"Because old friend, I have a mission to accomplish. One involving riding the darkness of the Universe with this lifestream, and the other getting revenge on a certain blonde haired male, taking pleasure in the joy of making him suffer."

Zack had had enough. "I won't let you do this Sephiroth, I may not have been with Cloud last time but this time I'm not sitting on the sidelines! So go to hell!" Zack summoned a sword to slice at the General. Angeal also summoned a sword but both swords were blocked when Sephiroth held out Masamune.

"You two aren't going to beat me. I have gained more control this time in manipulating tainted lifestream. I will overthrow the Cetra here in the lifestream and once I am in my body form back on the Planet, I can use the tainted lifestream to overcome it." Sephiroth then shoved both blades out of the way and sliced at Zack, knicking him in the left hip.

Zack jumped back but Sephiroth was too quick and quickly held Masamune at Zack's throat. "I don't know what happens if I slice Zackary Fair's head off here but I'm guessing it won't be good," Sephiroth grinned.

To Sephiroth's surprise however, Aerith was kneeling there next to Zack, hands held up in prayer, she commanded the lifestream itself in a way that Angeal and Zack could not. The silver haired General froze and was unable to move his blade while Zack retreated away. The green energy tendrils of the lifestream pierced Sephiroth and he glared at her with anger.

"You always foil my plans Aerith, even in your death and now here in the lifestream." Sephiroth regained his composure. "But you won't stop me this time, I have learned how to use the tainted lifestream for even darker purposes now. I feed off of the darkness," Sephiroth declared. He then summoned black tendrils of tainted lifestream to repel Aerith's pure green ones. He quickly tried to turn them on her but she repelled them.

"Looks like I need more darkness and despair here in this place to beat you," Sephiroth said with a sly smile on his face. He looked over at Zack and grinned wickedly. "I have something to show you Zack, look at what Cloud's been dreaming of lately."

Zack then saw the awful dreams plaguing Cloud. The killing of Denzel, the return of Sephiroth as Cloud's tormentor, and the worst, the blonde in tears longing for the puppy's return, the puppy who would never come back from the dead. "Zack, if only you could be here," Cloud cried. The raven haired man looked sick. He tried to open his mouth and talk to Cloud but the words wouldn't form.

"Your hopeless Zackary, you cannot help him and he will be mine in the end. You failed as a SOLDIER when you killed your own mentor and you have failed to protect Cloud. Now because of you, the boy suffers, look at how he dreams of you,wishing you'd be there but your never there for him," declared the General, with acid in his voice.

Zack leaned over and dry heaved. Had he really been a failure? The more he thought about it it was true. Of course he beat the Shinra army before succumbing to his wounds but...

"Don't listen to him Zack, you ended up living as a hero!" Angeal yelled at him. "You saved Cloud at the cliff top. Don't despair, act like the First Class SOLDIER you are."

"But I was forced to kill you, and in the end I couldn't be there to protect Cloud from Sephiroth. Aerith was killed as well. I really have failed," Zack said with tears welling up in his eyes. The pain was overwhelming now.

"Zack, you cannot despair, Sephiroth is feeding off of your negative emotion and its making him stronger," Aerith struggled trying to hold up her pure lifestream energies. "I cannot hold him back much longer."

Zack tried to bring up good emotions of him and Aerith, or of him and Cloud, but they just wouldn't come. Instead he saw Cloud in tears, Aerith stabbed in the chest, Kunsel being killed, everything negative around him. No matter how hard he tried to bring up happy thoughts, they just wouldn't come.

"That's it Zackary, it is comfy in despair, its so easy. Let me comfort you in the dark." Sephiroth gleamed wickedly. He looked over to Aerith and Angeal. "Its over." Then a massive wave of dark lifestream tendrils overtook Aerith and Angeal.

"Nooo!" yelled Zack, helpless to do anything about it. "Angeal! Aerith!" he cried, but there was no response.

Aerith was not one to give up however. She knew she had one chance at this and she couldn't mess it up. She knew Sephiroth would come back to life now, it was assured. Therefore he would have to be fought in the physical world. In the first second she started praying a different prayer. In the next second, Angeal took the first blow from the darkness coming from Sephiroth, succumbing quickly and vanishing into thin air. What she was doing was risky because it was forbidden magic that the planet never would allow. But rules be damned, she had to stop Sephiroth, if not on her own then through her friends. Before the wave hit her, she completed her prayer, and shot a bright green bolt of energy at Zack, hitting him in the chest.

Zack looked at himself in a confused manner. What had Aerith just done to him, why was she wasting her magic on him and not protecting herself? In that instant, he saw how his feet started to turn into green pure lifestream, working up his body. "What did you do Aerith! What's happening to me?" Zack cried out to her.

Aerith looked back at Zack into his bright blue eyes and blew him a kiss before disappearing in the wave of tainted lifestream. Sephiroth looked confused at what just happened, then snorted. "Hmmph, so that was your plan Aerith. Only you would be willing to pull that off." The silver haired General looked over at Zack who was still turning into more pure lifestream. "You should be thankful, I can't touch you now until I have my real body back. Looks like the Cetra saved you Zackary. She really did love you, if such a thing ever existed."

Zack looked confused. He felt confused. But in that moment there was no time to think about it, everything flashed white and Zack was suddenly blind, having no idea what was happening. Then he passed out.

In the church where the pool of pure water formed, where geostigma was cured, the pool was still there with beautiful flowers floating on it. The place was serene, with birds chirping around it and light coming in through the ceiling. No one was there to see the miracle about to happen that was set in motion. The water turned bright green and started to move back and forth, like a pool sloshing about. The water then started to move and take form, all of it being used up. The bright green form looked like a human with spiked hair. And in that moment the green disappeared and what was left was Zackary Fair, lying in the now dried up pool bed, looking the same age as when he died on the cliff overlooking Midgar and Edge, dressed in his First Class SOLDIER uniform. His mako blue eyes opened and he looked up at the ceiling, wondering what the hell just happened.

_Haha, so my favorite character in all of FFVII is back. For my first story he had to be back one way or another. But poor Aerith and Angeal. Zack is the true hero in my opinion. Anyways, thanks for reading and please Review. It will be a week before my next update due to a funeral I have to attend out of state. Thanks again._


	4. Chapter 4

_So here is Chapter 4. Yay, Zack is back. Anyway, on with the story. Thanks to all readers and reviewers, your reading and reviews keep me going. A special thanks for Princess Turk for continuing to review the story. Now without any further delay, here is chapter 4._

_Disclaimer: I do not own FF VII._

Cloud was on his way to Junon to deliver the next package and then pick one up to deliver in Kalm when he got a phone ring.

"Cloud, its been some time yo."

"What is it Reno?" Cloud sighed. He didn't want to talk to Reno or any Turk for that matter.

"What, no hello, or hows it goin? Geez Cloud, I thought you were more social after our last adventures. Or is Tifa not giving you enough hehe," Reno joked.

The blonde thought about it for a second. Its not like he was unfriendly, he just didn't trust the Turks. Even if they and Rufus had reformed from their old ways. Sometimes he still wondered what their real motives were.

"Sorry Reno, I'm just busy on delivery and can't talk much."

"Well don't stress, I won't take long. Rufus wants to talk to you. Something has come up."

"Rufus is an ex president Reno, he doesn't need to talk to me at all. He can handle his own problems." Cloud responded.

"Even if it involves Sephiroth?" Reno asked.

Sephiroth! Cloud thought about it and was angry that Sephiroth's name even be mentioned.

"He's dead Reno. I killed him and he no longer exists. Tell Rufus to quit wasting his time and spend his billions of gil on something more important like rebuilding people's lives." Cloud told the red head, irritation in his voice.

"Ok, but don't get too upset then when you comeback telling us we didn't warn you. Geostigma is back yo. And their new cases, not the existing one's that haven't been healed yet," Reno told Cloud.

Cloud stared up into the sky, bringing Fenrir to a stop. "You said new cases?"

"Thats right yo. Something's happening, and I don't know what, but Rufus has some information to share with you. Consider it a gesture that shows your in the information loop with the rest of us."

"Fine, I can be there tomorrow." Cloud said and hung up. New cases, was Geostigma spreading again? It was Sephiroth's will that drove it as a disease. Could the dream he had a week ago be coming true?

...

At Kalm, Cloud was tossing and turning in the bed. He got in late at night and delivered the last package, then grabbed a cheap hotel for the night. But something was troubling him, he felt a cold presence in the room but when he looked around, he didn't see anything. The blonde held up a sense materia, but no information came back to him. Deciding that there was nothing, Cloud turned over and shut his eyes, trying to sleep.

"Cloud, its been a week and you haven't gone to look for me, must I torment you some more?" a calm voice said to him.

Cloud's eyes snapped open, and he saw green catlike eyes belonging to a dark figure sitting at the foot of his bed. "Go away Sephiroth, your just a memory, this is a dream, Cloud said with authority.

"Ohh, so you still don't believe this is real. Well then you tell me if this is real as well." Sephiroth gleamed.

"Heya Cloudy, how have you been, I haven't seen you in forever," a familiar friendly voice said to him.

"Zack...no, this isn't possible," stammered Cloud.

"Sorry Zack, Cloud here doesn't think you exist," Sephiroth smirked.

"Well we'll see about that, come here Spike." Zack jumped on Cloud and ruffled his hair.

Cloud couldn't believe it, he actually felt Zack. This wasn't possible, how was Zack real. The impostor on him even smelled like Zack.

"No...No...this isn't possible, Zack I saw you die, I watched you get gunned down by the Shinra army."

"Well here I am Cloud," Zack said reassuringly.

"This ha..has to b..be a dream," Cloud stuttered, shocked that he could feel Zack. Cloud then got off the bed and pushed Zack away.

"Cloud, how much more proof do you need that I'm real?" Zack looked with concern, obviously hurt that the blonde would doubt his best friend's existence.

"Zack, Cloud clearly doesn't think your real. He doesn't trust you." the General said with an evil look in his eyes. "Cloud here has done many atrocious things. He let Aerith die, your girlfriend."

"No, Spike here wouldn't do that, he would have protected her you know, live out both our lives," Zack looked on stunned.

"Cloud doesn't care about you anymore, he didn't care about Aerith either."

"Thats a lie Sephiroth and you know it! Don't listen to him Zack, he killed Aerith," Cloud yelled, but Zack wasn't paying attention.

"I trusted you Cloud, you were supposed to be my living legacy," accused Zack. He looked at Cloud with sad eyes. "Sephiroth, do what you want with him, he clearly isn't the man I once knew. All I am staring at...is someone who repeatedly fails. He is not my friend." And with that Zack walked out of the room, not looking back. Sephiroth gleamed with a big evil smile at the despair he created.

Tears started coming down Cloud's cheeks. "Zack! wait," he yelled but Sephiroth grabbed his shoulder and threw him up against the wall.

"Do you feel pain Cloud? That's good. Pain is good. Pain is how you know your alive. Now Cloud, since your my most trusted puppet, I will make you a deal. If you find my body, I will bring Zack back to life for you. You two could be together again." Sephiroth said in a soothing voice. The General stroked the blonde's cheek.

Cloud felt like he was going to throw up. "Why would you bring him back to life Sephiroth, why should I trust you," Cloud glared at the silver haired man, meeting his gaze.

"Because Cloud," Sephiroth cooed in a wicked tone. "Its all you have to hold onto in this world." Sephiroth raised his voice. "As this adventure to darkness commences, you won't have anyone. Hell, you don't truly have anyone now. Tifa just pretends to love you but she really hates you because of your mako enhancements, the same enhancements that constantly remind her of Shinra. And Denzel...hmmph. That orphan is a waste of space and is worthless. He's holding you back."

"Your wrong," Cloud interrupted. He couldn't stand what he was hearing and yet, the saddest part was that part of him was starting to believe Sephiroth.

"I am right Cloud. You will lose them if you continue to defy me. This may still be a dream but soon it won't." Sephiroth squeezed his fingernails into Cloud's right shoulder hard. Blood started to drip down Cloud's shoulder and the blonde let out a whimper. "Time to wake up Cloud," Sephiroth said with a wicked grin. And the General flung Cloud out the bedroom window.

Cloud fell for what seemed like forever. _It felt so real_, he thought. The only way Cloud saw that it was a dream was that the rain outside was falling up towards the sky instead of toward the ground. He hit the ground hard and blacked out.

...

Cloud woke up gasping for air. He was sweating heavily, sheets completely soaked. He felt exhausted and couldn't believe what had happened. Getting out of bed, Cloud looked out the window at the lightning storm going through Kalm. Everything seemed normal now. But he still hated the room he was in because of that dream.

"Zack..." Cloud whispered. "I am sorry, I...I didn't live up to your expectations."

What was he thinking? Zack was proud of him. Thats why he and Zack were best friends. _Damn,_ he thought. _Sephiroth is getting into my head_. Cloud shook the thought off and walked to the bathroom. When he flipped the lights on, he was shocked at what he saw. 5 distinct fingernail marks were dug into his right shoulder, exactly where Sephiroth had gripped him. The blonde shuddered when he saw the blood trail from where he walked back to the bed. From the bed, the blood trail went to the wall where Sephiroth had pinned him. Cloud went to the door of the room and saw that it was still locked. _What the Hell! I am being haunted. I've got to get out of here. Maybe Sephiroth really is back. _And with that, Cloud got dressed, packed his things and quietly left the room, not caring that it was 3am and a lightning storm raging outside. He hopped on Fenrir and set towards his next destination...the Healin Lodge.

...

Zack got up from the now dried up pool in Aerith's church, his mouth felt extremely dry. He took in the sites and smells all around him. He was back. Everything felt normal...well...almost normal other than that he was extremely hungry and parched. The church was still here. Zack thought of Aerith and what she had done. He thought about her sacrificing herself and Sephiroth overpowering her and Angeal. Zack tried to bite back the tears but a couple escaped anyway. _Why me, _he thought. _Why would you choose me._ Deciding he could not dwell on Aerith now and would have time for mourning later, Zack got up, grabbed the polished Buster Sword that was laying in the church grounds and headed out of the Church and towards Edge City, towards the only place he knew he'd find friends.

Tifa was closing up the bar at night, hoping Cloud was alright. She knew he was in Kalm for the night, and they had talked over the phone when Cloud had gotten there. But she was still worried about him, his nightmares had picked up since that one night he saw Sephiroth kill her and Denzel in a dream. But none of all this prepared her for what she was about to see.

"Hey, are you guys still open, I need a few drinks after what I went through," said a cocky voice filled with friendship at the same time.

Tifa looked over and dropped the glass she was cleaning. It wasn't possible. In front of her stood a fallen hero now returned from the grave.

"Z..Zack? Is that really you?" Tifa stammered, walking over to him. _He was dead, _she thought. _How is he alive_.

"Tifa, its been a long time, how are ya. You still look as hot as you did when you were our guide back in Nibelheim." Zack beamed at her, flashing his trademark smile.

"Zack, it can't be you. Cloud told me how you shielded him from the Shinra army. There's no way your alive."

"Well here I am, have a look Tif."

Tifa looked at Zack closely, feeling his hands, arms. She felt his pulse, a genuine heartbeat. She looked at his face, her eyes captured by his bright blue with slight green eyes. His SOLDIER eyes. She ran a finger over the scar on his cheek.

"See, its me Tifa. I'm back. Its a long story but I'm back," Zack reassured her.

Tifa fell into his chest, embracing him. She couldn't believe it. Zack Fair was alive and back. He returned her hug with one of his infamous bear hugs. Tears were dripping down her eyes. Zack brought his hand up to wipe her eyes.

"How...How is this possible Zack. When I helped Cloud put his memories back together, I saw what happened. Cloud also told me how you were shot and killed." Tifa questioned.

"And thats a story I would love to tell you and Cloudy, but first I'm starving. They don't feed you in the lifestream. So sorry, but do you have anything to eat? And where's the chocobo head?"

"He's in Kalm staying there for the night. He had a lot of deliveries yesterday. Yeah, I don't know if you see everything from the Lifestream, but Cloud runs a delivery service now. And yes I will make you something, anything you'd like.

"So Spike's a delivery boy now. I will give him crap for that. From hero to postman," Zack laughed. "And any burger you have will be great. Plus a beer and water."

"Hey Tifa, who is it your talking to, I thought the bar was closed," spoke a soft voice from upstairs.

"Denzel come here quick. I have to introduce you to someone. This is Zack Fair, Cloud's best friend and close friend to all of us."

"Nice to meet you," Denzel said through tired eyes.

"Heya," Zack said and flashed a smile at Denzel.

"Sorry Tifa but do you have any Ibuprofen, I have a really bad headache, thats why I couldn't fall asleep." Denzel quietly said, clutching the front of his head with his hand

"Yeah honey its in the far left cabinet." Tifa told him.

"Did he get in a fight? There's a large mark on his forehead that looks like a bruise," Zack said. Denzel continued clutching his forehead, with pain showing in his eyes and face.

"What's that," Tifa asked. "Denzel, come here, let me see that."

When Tifa removed Denzel's hand, she gasped suddenly and Zack frowned at what they were both looking at. It was back. Geostigma.

_So touching with Tifa and Zack. But poor Cloud hahaha. Please review and hope you enjoyed reading. The next Chapter will be up soon. Thanks again. _


	5. Chapter 5

_Here it is, the next chapter. Thank you to all of you that favorited/subscribed my story. Just a reminder, that if the story is a first person pov, then it is James, my OC. Hopefully it isn't confusing, please let me know in the reviews if it is. Enjoy Chapter 5._

_Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII_

Pain seared throughout my mind. _What a headache,_ I thought. _What the hell just happened? _I looked around and saw open sky, and noticed that I was on a cliff. I had no idea where I was and was still disoriented from whatever the hell happened. I thought a bit to myself as I sat up slowly. _Where did Matt and Jake end up? Did this really happen or is this a dream? Where the hell am I?_ Looking around I saw that there was a patch of flowers next to me near the cliff edge. _I have seen these before, but where_, I thought. As I stood up and looked around I was stunned at what my eyes were taking in.

"I am standing where my favorite FFVII character died," I said out loud in a somewhat emotionless voice. I was too stunned and shocked to say anything else. In the background beyond the Cliff edge, I looked at the massive city of Edge and the even more massive Midgar ruins. _This has to be a dream, but its seems so real. Could we have really ended up here, on Gaia. How is this even real? _I didn't know what to think was real now. Clearly it wasn't a dream, because no matter how hard I hit myself or tried to find some indicator it was a dream, nothing appeared. Rocks still dropped cause of gravity, and there wasn't anything crazy like water moving towards the sky. _Damn, this is too much to take in. I don't feel so well_. And with that, I heaved up what I had eaten earlier before the conflict with Jake in my room. I wondered where Jake and Matt were. _Did they even make it here? And what was to become of them? _

I moved beyond the cliff edge and looked for a way down off the plateau. The only thing I could think of was to head towards Edge, since a large population was there. I didn't know what was real anymore, i didn't even know what to feel. _Am I trapped here? Will I run into Cloud Strife? How is a video game world real?_ _WTF?_ I thought. My entire concept of space and time continuum from science class and Star Trek had been turned upside down.

...

As I moved on closer to Edge, I ran into a little problem. Ok not a little but a very large problem. A Kalm fang was right in front of me, eyes locked on. I knew in the game it wasn't much of a threat but here, I am a lousy human with zero powers and weapons. The wolf like creature started to pace in circles around me. I locked on and told myself I would dodge it when the time came. It then lunged and I was shocked at how fast it was. I barely dodged and then, not knowing what else to do, I ran. What a foolish error. The Kalm fang quickly caught me and pounced, tearing into my right leg. Just then I heard a couple gunshots and the Kalm Fang was dead. Just in time too since my leg had only been scratched and was bleeding lightly.

"Identify yourself," the voice commanded.

I looked around and saw a girl with blonde hair and a dark blue suit on. _So it was her_, I thought. _ I've been saved by a Turk, but Turks don't just do this unless they want something. Do they know about me?_

"My name is James Sully," I said. Her eyes pierced into mine.

"Where are you from? Tell me how you got here," she said sharply.

_What do I say? She would never believe me if I told her the truth._ "I'm from Kalm, I was traveling unarmed and I was attacked," I lied. Yet somehow she didn't seem convinced. I knew she wasn't convinced when she backhanded me. I stumbled back and she grabbed the front of my shirt.

"I can tell your lying, now tell me the truth. Don't waste my time or I will feed you back to the beasts out here. And don't think that just because Midgar is gone and Edge is built that everything is reformed. I can kill you anyway I want without punishment."

I gulped at the threat and didn't know what to say. _Well what the hell,_ I thought.

"Fine, I am from another planet called Earth and I am able to see some of what goes on here on this planet. Like when Sephiroth called meteor and the WEAPONs attacked. Or when meteor fell and Midgar was destroyed. I was pulled through some portal and I ended up on that cliff there," I pointed. "I also know names, like how I know your name is Elena even though you haven't told it to me yet."

Elena stood there, nodding her head. "Good, thank you for cooperating," she said. And then she quickly took out a needle and stuck me in the arm. I suddenly felt dizzy and was about to pass out. Before I passed out, I heard her pick up her cellphone and call. "Tseng, I have one of the three targets, I am bringing him to you now. He is subdued and won't put up a fight for us."

"Good Elena, bring him back here immediately," Tseng ordered.

...

Zack carried Denzel while Tifa grabbed the car and they rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, the doctors could do little to help. They quickly said there was no cure and gave Denzel some pain medication to help him sleep.

"Hey what about the church? Last time there was that large pool in there that cured geostigma," Tifa questioned.

"Bad news for ya Tif. When I was reborn err...resurrected, or whatever you call it, that pool was used in Aerith's spell. Its bone dry at the church now," Zack told her.

Tifa sat there back at the bar, Denzel fast asleep under the comfort of the meds. She couldn't quite think of what else to do so she called him.

"Reno, its Tifa. I need your help. Denzel has geostigma again and I know there have been reports of the disease coming back. I know Rufus has info on this and I need to know if you can share that info with me."

"Sorry yo. I don't have the info your looking for. Rufus doesn't know much and my hands are tied down right now," Reno replied.

"But Denzel is getting worse quickly and Cloud has been acting strange. Don't you think its all connected?" Tifa pleaded.

Reno thought about his reply for a moment. He could tell her the truth about geostigma's resurgence and how Rufus might have found something related to Sephiroth. But it would be too much trouble to get Tifa involved.

"I wish I could be of more help but there is no connection that we're aware of. It looks just like an individual case afflicting Denzel yo. Its unfortunate but there's nothing I can do," Reno lied.

Zack had enough of this and grabbed the phone from Tifa. "Reno, you shut the hell up and quit lying. I know there is a very strong connection with what's going on and I know Rufus has the answers. Now don't make me come over there and go SOLDIER on your ass. Tell us whats going on," he demanded.

"Zack, is that you? Its not possible, your dead. You must be an imposter, sorry but you'll have to do better than that to fool me."

"Dammit Reno, listen! I was killed by the Shinra troops and in the lifestream. Then I saw Sephiroth and Aerith did some crazy thing to bring me back. Look I know Sephiroth was reborn once already and Cloud beat him. But it looks like he might be reborn again. Now stop bullshitting and give us some answers!" the raven haired man yelled.

Reno was puzzled. It sounded like Zack, it acted like Zack, and seemed to have knowledge of what happened. "I will be over to the bar in 15 minutes. Stay right there." Reno said.

...

Reno quickly drove to Seventh Heaven Bar, not believing what he heard over the phone. He had to see it with his own eyes. Zack had died and Reno couldn't get to him in time. That thought still haunted him. As he walked up and opened the door, Reno swore he was going crazy.

"Zack..." Reno stood there, dumbfounded and confused as to what to say.

Zack looked at him, with stern eyes. He was not necessarily happy to see Reno, knowing that he was responsible for some of the hardship that occurred including the dropping of the plate on sector 7, and had initially lied to them but Zack wasn't going to be a jerk about it either...or was he?

Reno walked to Zack and put his hand on his shoulder. He felt Zack's breath on him, could sense that it really was the raven haired SOLDIER he knew from a long time ago. And then Reno was shocked...when Zack's fist connected with his jaw. Reno hit the ground and looked up, initially feeling betrayal before realizing what the fist was for.

"Ok so I deserved that one. But come on Zack, you can't blame me for trying to protect Rufus' secrets. Orders are orders," Reno said as he rubbed his jaw.

"Its not just your lying earlier Reno," Zack said sternly. "Look at all the other crap you've done. You have innocent blood on your hands from dropping the plate."

"Look yo, its not like you haven't shed innocent blood either so don't even start. Don't make me bring up your bad memories," Reno shot back.

"Both of you shut up!" yelled Tifa. "Reno, lets get down to business, you two can argue all you want like old men later."

"Right. So the honest truth is that there has been a 300 percent spike in geostigma cases in the last week alone. And before that, there was a doubling of cases from the previous month. Before that, there was almost no trace of geostigma. Its like it suddenly happened," Reno told them.

"But what is causing it? That healing rain fell across most of the planet and the spring at the church cured most of it." Tifa questioned.

"Our theory is that somehow Sephiroth really ain't dead yo. Somehow he is still existing in the lifestream and is manipulating this just like a year ago. But without Jenova's head, he doesn't have another avenue to physically resurrect himself. So this may be another attempt to find a way."

Zack knew what Reno was talking about. "Hey, how about I tell you what happened while I was in the lifestream. Then this will make more sense to you. Sephiroth is trying to come back, and he's haunting and using Cloud in the process."

Zack then proceeded to tell them about what happened with him, Angeal, and Aerith in the lifestream. He told them about how Sephiroth manifested himself, used tainted lifestream and had greater control over the Jenova cells, and how Aerith had sacrificed herself against Sephiroth to use a forbidden Cetra spell that revived him. At the end of it, Zack was a little misty-eyed, thinking about Aerith, while Tifa put a hand on his shoulder.

Reno stood there dumbfounded and amazed. "I think you and Tifa should come with me and you need to tell that story to Rufus Shinra exactly how you told me."

"Rufus doesn't need to talk to me. He will be more interested in experimenting on me and finding out how I came back to life. That shady bastard doesn't deserve anything after what he did with the company," Zack said with a little acid in his tone.

"Look yo, I won't even try to defend my boss, but here's what I will tell you. Dealing with these things takes money. If Sephiroth comes back, we will need all the help we can get to deal with him. Rufus Shinra has those resources we need and the funds to take care of Denzel for ya."

Zack hated that Reno was right. They had no choice. He looked over at Tifa, who nodded at him, then back to the Turk. "Alright, lets do this."

_Hope you loved the little scuffle I had between Zack and Reno. When I thought of it I started laughing so I said why not. Anyways, please review. From here on out It will probably be about once a week I update since my work is picking up and I only have one more chapter pre-written. I have about 15 chapters outlined so far and will have more as we go, I'm not sure how long the total story will be. Between work and school, I will stay up on this story as best I can, its my only one so it will take me about a week to crank out a chapter and proof read it. Hope you liked this chapter and thanks for reading. _


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey everyone, here is the next chapter update. So the chapters are starting to get a little longer as the story goes. I am also debating of giving the chapters names, but I am unsure yet. Anyways, as I said last chapter, it will be about once a week that I update this between work and school. Thanks to all who read and review. Enjoy chapter 6_

_Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII. _

I woke up strapped to a wall. As I looked around, it looked like I was in a locked room, painted grey with nothing else on the walls. There was only one door in front of me. And in front of it stood that woman with blonde hair and sharp eyes.

"James, tell us how you got here and how it is that you can see what happens here from another world? Elena commanded.

"Bite me! I give you the truth and you go stick me with some drug to knock me out," I yelled. I refused to give Elena anymore info.

"You realize that I can have you locked up forever and no one will come for you," she responded.

I didn't care. Hell, most of what I thought was happening could be wrong and I didn't even know if I would get back to my world.

"Enough with the threats Elena, I know your a young Turk who is gun ho but your restricted by Tseng. You won't do anything truly terrible to me since your the youngest Turk here and are the least experienced."

Elena twitched a little at my response but quickly regained her composure. "Fine, I didn't want to resort to this because you might die but I have no choice. Sir, the subject is resisting, do you want to issue the drug you had?" Elena asked.

In walked a man who was medium in height, a little slender, dark hair and a dot right on his forehead. I knew he was the leader of the Turks.

"Thats too bad, Elena. I thought he'd be more cooperative," Tseng said as he came through the door.

In the Turk leader's hand was a vial that glowed green. I stared at it and became unnerved at its glow. I knew that it was some sort of mako concoction.

"This mako drug will make you tell the truth to us, provided you survive the injection and reactions to it," Tseng said.

"Wait, you don't have to inject me with that. If I die you won't be able to know how I got here..."

"If you die, it isn't that important to us. If you live, then we get some info that may or may not help us," Tseng cut me off.

I started sweating as the Turk came closer to me. He held up the vial of glowing mako and attached a needle to it. I tried to squirm and thrash out of the chains but to no avail.

"Elena, restrain him," ordered Tseng.

She held my head still so I couldn't move. Tseng jammed the needle into the side of my neck into the vein. I felt a burning sensation like no other while the green liquid moved into my body. I saw both of the Turks step back and my vision went blurry. I couldn't focus on anything and my thoughts just became a haze. I slowly started to black out.

"Call me when he wakes up," Tseng said. Then he left the room, while Elena stood there, staring at me.

"So what secrets will you spill to us? You may play a more important role than you think, so you better survive," she smirked.

...

After what seemed like a couple seconds, my eyes fluttered open. I had a massive migraine and my body felt weak. I slumped in the restraining straps that held me to the wall and I was unable to support my body. I tried to speak but words wouldn't form in my mouth. Also, my legs were shaking uncontrollably.

"For a while I thought you weren't going to make it. You convulsed for an hour and foamed at the mouth while you were blacked out and your eyes rolled into the back of your head. But you came through. Don't worry, your through the worst of it and your speech will return soon," a voice said with a smirking tone.

I searched with my eyes trying to see where the voice was coming from. Unfortunately, my eyes met the face of a blonde haired woman who I already had become acquainted with. I sighed loudly.

"What, were you expecting someone else? I wonder what dreams you had? That concoction does some crazy things to a person," Elena said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cellphone. "Tseng, the prisoner has survived, he's awake now." She then put her phone back and came up to me.

"Want to see your new look, its somewhat impressive and brings back memories of an old Shinra program. Well, some memories. They were freaks anyway," Elena mocked.

She held up a small mirror to my face for me to see. I was shocked by what I saw. Well, it wasn't my face that changed or my hair, just my eyes. My eyes were no longer the dark brown that I had grown up with, instead replaced by a bright blue with a faint green in the center. I didn't know what to say.

"What...did y...you do to m...my eyes?" I asked, stunned that my speech returned, but it took much effort to speak.

"Well, it wasn't technically us, just the mako that is circulating in your body. Don't go thinking you became like them. This was just a little drop of mako compared to the treatment that a real SOLDIER gets. And this mako has a separate drug in it to get you to talk," Elena answered.

The door then opened and Tseng came in. He pulled up a chair while Elena unstrapped me from the wall. My body slumped forward and I wasn't able to control my forward momentum as I crashed onto the floor. Elena grabbed my arm and lifted me up into a chair.

"Lets start with a simple question. How did you get here?" Tseng asked.

I didn't hesitate to answer. I could feel the answers pouring from my mouth without any effort. "My friend Matt and I were in my room back on Earth when a third guy named Jake Almasy came to my house with a gun. He threatened to kill Matt and I and when he shot into a poster I had of Cloud and Sephiroth, the poster became some sort of portal and all three of us were brought here to your world."

"Hmm, seems like your telling the truth, considering there is a picture of that poster on your phone," Tseng said as he held up my phone to my face. I couldn't remember when they confiscated it. "You mentioned two others. Tell us about this Jake Almasy."

"He was a jerk and a team captain at our school. Also kinda like a rival. He was a bully to my friends and I but I didn't think he'd come to try and kill me," I answered.

Elena spoke up next. "How is it that you know of the events of our world, and tell us the timeline of those events."

Without hesitation I told them about the events from Crisis Core through Advent Children and confirmed to the Turks that I knew everyone's name. It didn't matter how hard I tried to resist, the answers came pouring through my mouth uncontrolled. There was nothing I could do. Later I explained that their world was represented in our world as a video game.

Tseng seemed unnerved. "So you mean to tell me that our world is nothing more than a video game that children play. Are we nothing more than a fantasy?"

I honestly didn't know how to answer. I didn't know what was real anymore. "Hey this is as much a shock to me as it is to you. Clearly your world is real otherwise I wouldn't be in it right now." I answered.

"Do you know where the other two are located?" Elena asked.

"No, I don't. We got separated as we fell through the portal, then I blacked out."

Tseng looked at Elena then they both looked at me. "Do you know what is going on now?"

"What, besides three humans that aren't from around here ending up on your world, no I don't." I answered sharply.

"So you don't know about the recent spike in geostigma, or that the healing water at Aerith's church is dried up? And that there have been sightings of a particular ghost with long silver hair?" Tseng questioned me rapidly.

I struggled to process it all quickly. "No I don't know anything about that."

"Liar," yelled Elena and she slapped my face, causing me to bleed at my lips.

"I told you, I don't know about any of it. This is all new to me. My knowledge runs out after Sephiroth was killed by Cloud."

Elena raised her hand to strike me again but Tseng caught her hand.

"There is no need to strike him Elena, the drug is doing its job."

"But sir..." Elena said before she was cut off.

"I said there is no need Elena. Compose yourself. You are a Turk still even if the company is not the world government anymore. In either case, he has given us all we can possibly get. Furthermore, we won't pursue his other two friends since all three of them clearly don't know about our...situation."

"Yes sir, sorry," Elena apologized. She quickly turned and gave me a mean glare.

"In the mean time," Tseng continued to speak, "you are released from us. There is no more need to question you. I would advise you to keep your story to yourself as no one will believe you anyway, not about where your really from or us questioning you. Best you go somewhere and try to land a job to survive."

I then had a sedative injected into me and I blacked out. When I finally came to, I was staring at a beautiful beach in front of me, my back up against the sea wall. I looked around but there were no footprints or any sign of the two Turks that held me captive. I got up and headed into the town section of Costa Del Sol. It was beautiful but I needed to move on. It was too expensive to stay here and I had no money anyway. _Hey I should start looking for Matt, _I thought. He had to be around somewhere and why not start on this continent. But I knew it was going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

...

It was 5 am and the sun hadn't even shown twilight when Cloud Strife approached the Healin Lodge. He wanted answers, answers that Reno had led him on about over the phone before that night in Kalm. He was tired, and his body felt heavy, but he had to press on. As he parked Fenrir and walked up the stairs, the blonde thought about the night in Kalm, how Sephiroth had tortured his mind once again and left a physical impression on his shoulder. He also thought about what Reno had said with geostigma reappearing. Maybe it was all interconnected. He went up to the front door and knocked loudly.

He heard no answer so he knocked again louder. The door then flew open.

"Do you have any idea what time it is, the boss isn't even up yet," Rude said sternly, in a rare moment of using his voice.

"Well tell him to get up cause I am ready to meet now. I want to know what the hell is going on?" Cloud demanded.

"Let him in Rude, I am already awake and could sense him coming," Rufus said in a calm voice. He walked toward the center of the room, wearing solid white morning garments. "Cloud, we have much to discuss. Forgive Reno for not being here, he is on an assignment."

"What is happening with geostigma? Why did Reno want us to talk so badly, and he mentioned that HE was part of this," Cloud demanded, raising his voice.

"It is true that Sephiroth may have something to do with this. But tell me Cloud, have you been experiencing nightmares?" Rufus asked.

Cloud thought for a quick second before answering. "What happens to me is unimportant. I want to know what is happening with geostigma. Is anyone in Edge infected?"

"Fine Cloud, I will tell you what I know but then you will answer my questions. Yes geostigma is on the rise. The number of cases tripled in the last week. What's also disturbing is that there is no cure again. That spring underneath the Cetra's church is dried up now and we don't know why."

Cloud thought for a moment. _Aerith, what's happening?_ He looked back at the young blonde boss in front of him. "How long ago did you see that the spring was dried up?"

"We discovered that it was dry about 36 hours ago. There have been other unexplained instances as well. People claim to be seeing ghosts and claim that they might of seen humans fall from the sky. All of it is speculation and rumor of course. But the fact remains that the only way geostigma can be this aggressive is if someone with a strong will can drive it; and the only person we know of that power is Sephiroth. I think he still exists somehow in the lifestream," Rufus finished.

"So what does this have to do with me?" Cloud asked.

"You have a connection to Sephiroth that the rest of us do not. If something supernatural were occurring, you would sense it before us. So Cloud, has anything been happening?

Cloud stared at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact with the president's eyes. He looked back up and was about to speak...

"He won't believe you Cloud. And even if he does, he doesn't care about you. All Rufus Shinra wants is to restore his company and get his greedy hands on power. He will never help you like me, my empty puppet," a voice cooed from the darkness.

Cloud's eyes widened and he looked around the room with Rufus and Rude and spotted a long silver haired being in the far corner behind Rufus.

"Yes Cloud, you and I are growing more interconnected. Now you can see me without falling asleep."

"Cloud, is something wrong?" Rufus asked.

"No," Cloud responded. He tried to shake off Sephiroth and ignore him. He was going to tell Rufus. "I have been having weird dreams lately. In them was Sephiroth. He threatened me...

"Cloud, you must come find me," Sephiroth interrupted.

"Showed me things like Tifa and Denzel dying. Then he...

"You won't be complete without me Cloud, and you don't really have a life."

"showed up in another dream in Kalm. And he gave me this," Cloud said as he showed Rufus the marks.

"Cloud, Denzel has geostigma," Sephiroth finished saying. That seemed to get Cloud's attention.

The blonde stopped showing Rufus his mark. He then seemed stunned at Sephiroth's comment.

"Cloud, continue," Rufus said. But Cloud couldn't speak now.

"Yes my puppet, he has the disease. I gave it to him. If you don't believe me then call your precious bitch. The only way to remove it from him is to come find me and bring me back to the physical realm Cloud," Sephiroth told him. He walked over to Cloud.

Rufus stared at Cloud then looked around the room. "Rude, do you sense something?"

"No sir, I do not," Rude replied.

"Strange, it feels cold in here and I feel it moving towards Cloud. I think there is a presence in here." Rufus ominously said. He walked over to Cloud.

Cloud watched Rufus pass through Sephiroth's image. He felt crowded and he stepped back towards the door. Rufus stopped but Sephiroth kept walking towards him. "I think I better head back to Tifa and Denzel."

"Cloud, do you see someone in here with us. Is someone visible to you?" asked Rufus.

"No there is no one," Cloud lied.

"Listen puppet, I will help you again along this journey. You will find me at the Forgotten Capital tomorrow. I am disgusted that I actually have to tell you this, I expected more from you...Cloud. Come there tomorrow by midnight or more people will start dying," threatened Sephiroth. He then touched Cloud and it spooked the blonde. Cloud turned and headed right out the door.

"Cloud wait," Rufus commanded. But Cloud continued down towards Fenrir. He hopped on and drove away from the Healin Lodge.

_I am sick of this shit. Fine Sephiroth, I will beat you a third time, at the Forgotten Capital, _thought Cloud. He continued on Fenrir towards the port, where he would catch the first ship towards the northern continent where the capital was.

...

Rufus Shinra stared as Cloud left. When Cloud left, he felt the cold presence leave his room. This was disturbing to the president.

"Rude, go follow Cloud and spy on him. Find out where he is going. He mustn't do anything rash,"

"Sir but no one will be here to guard you," Rude replied.

"I can take care of myself Rude, this is more important. Besides, Tseng and Elena should return later today with information from one of the three humans that appeared here on our planet. Perhaps this is all connected."

"Yes sir." Rude then left to go after Cloud.

Rufus stared back into the corner where he first felt the cold aura. _Was that you, Sephiroth? What is your aim this time,_ he thought. He could only imagine. Hopefully he would find answers soon; both to Cloud and Sephiroth, and geostigma's reemergence.

_Ooh, Sephiroth! What is he planning for Cloud? OMG. Anyways, thanks for reading and hoped you enjoyed. The next chapter should be up by next week. Please review and thanks again. _


	7. Chapter 7

_So here it is, Chapter 7, this one is a longer one. Thanks to all of you who have subscribed and/or favorited the story, I'm glad its good enough to make your favorite list. I do have one request for everyone and I don't usually make this request but Please Review. Even if its constructive criticism, its good. I'd like to know if people like the story so far. Thanks for taking the time to read_

_..._

_Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII_

_..._

As I left Costa Del Sol, I had no idea where I was going to go. Seeing that there was a path to the Southwest, I decided to take it. Here I was with no money, no friends, and without shelter. I had just the clothes on my back and my cellphone that the turks returned to me, although it had almost no battery left and was mostly useless. I never felt so helpless in my life and there were times I felt like just lying down under a rock and dying, instead of continuing on the path southwest, trudging through the hot desert. I looked off in the distance and saw mountains, but they were so far away.

I continued walking by day and finding an outcropping of rock for shelter at night. Luckily I had avoided any monsters and made it to the Gold Saucer. I thought I could at least get someone to help me but I wasn't sure since I had no money and the Gold Saucer used a different currency. I walked to the front office on the ground and was stopped by a heavy set woman with a large scowl so intense it could burn through rubber.

"Sorry, the only way to the Gold Saucer amusement park is through North Corel on the tram. This is an administrator office," she barked at me.

"I only need to speak to a security guard. There's a friend of mine who's missing..."

"No, you need to leave now or I will have security escort you off the premises," she cut me off.

"Listen, here's what he looks like," I yelled, lifting my cell phone with a picture of Matt on it. "Now have you or anyone seen this person."

"I have seen someone similar, it might have been him," a janitor washing the floor cut in. The heavyset woman rolled her eyes.

"Do you know which way he was heading?" I asked excitedly.

"Not really, he was headed southwest after being kicked out of the park for having no money," he replied

"What's to the southwest?" I asked.

"Oh not much. To the south of us is Gongaga, but you don't want to go there. All that remains is a damaged mako reactor. To the southwest is Cosmo Canyon. But its a strange place there. Lots of hippies trying to commune with the planet. I'm not sure if either of those help but he might have headed in that direction," the janitor told me.

"Thanks a bunch," I said and smiled. I finally had a small amount of hope to smile about.

"Here, take this and when you get to the next place you come across, clean yourself up and rest a bit. I can tell your not from around here so use whatever's left to buy a second set of clothes and find a job to earn some more," the janitor said.

Into my hand he placed a 100 gil bill. I was shocked by his kindness. "Wow, thank you so much," I said. Then I left the door and took off to the southwest. I knew it was a long road but hopefully I would find Matt. Hell even running into Jake would be preferable to navigating my way around Gaia alone.

...

I was exhausted as I continued towards Cosmo Canyon. It had been three more days of hiking there and I didn't quite know what to expect. Sure I played FFVII many times but this was so different. I ascended the stairs to the main village and nearly collapsed when I reached the top. I collapsed at the entrance onto the ground.

"Do you need some help?" a woman asked me. She looked like she was in her 40s and dressed similar to a hippie.

"Have you seen this man?" I asked, holding up my cellphone.

"Sorry, I have not, but if you head towards the Shildra Inn, they have visitors pass by all the time. They may be able to help you," she said and pointed to the inn. "And take this water, you look like a mess."

I drank and felt a little strength return. "Thanks," I said.

"What's your name?" she asked

"James," I replied.

"Well it was nice to meet you James. I hope you find your friend," she smiled at me and then opened the gate to the town.

I smiled back, then headed towards the Shildra Inn.

"Welcome to the Shildra Inn, would you like a room? The cost is 40 gil a night," the man at the front desk told me.

I didn't hesitate to pull out the 100 gil I was given and got a room.

"Your not from around here are you," the man asked me.

"No, I'm not. I'm looking for a person. Have you seen this guy?" I asked and showed the picture on the cellphone.

"I think I have, it might not have been to long ago. But I'm not sure which way he went. Sorry," he replied.

My hopes were sunken a little with that response, but I was too tired to continue on. A good night sleep would do well along with a cool shower. As I left the counter my stomach grumbled loudly. I hand't eaten in a few days and lived off of water only.

"is there a fast food restaurant or something?" I asked the man at the counter.

"Down out the doors and to the right," he replied.

20 Gil later, I had two corn dogs, a cheeseburger, and fries. It wasn't the best but it was badly needed. I went up to my room, took a quick shower and collapsed on the bed. It didn't take long for me to be asleep. Little did I know I was being watched.

"Hello...yeah he's here. He fits the description in your dreams and is similar to the last one, although the last one had more of a build to him. I have the key to his room like you requested...Nanaki."

...

I woke up in the middle of the night, having slept for what felt like a minute but was probably hours. At the foot of my bed stood a red looking beast with a flaming tail. He looked like a cross between a large dog with lion like features and had two feathers coming from his head and piercings in his ears. Tatoos adorned the creature as well.

"Red XIII...I mean uh...Nanaki," I stammered, not knowing how to address him.

"He told me you would know my name," was his only response.

I sat up out of bed and was stunned by his sheer size. He was bigger than anything I had seen on Earth.

"Who said I would know your name?" I asked.

"Before I answer that question you must come with me," Nanaki said.

"Really, I just got here and paid for the room, can't I sleep just a bit more?" I asked.

"Not if you want to meet up with your friend and possibly find out why your here in the first place. I remember your friends' name as Matthew."

My eyes widened at Matt's name and I woke right up without complaint.

"Ok, let me get my things packed," I said.

...

I followed Nanaki to an area outside of town and climbed one of the plateaus that overlooked the town. I was winded trying to hike up while Nanaki seemed to effortlessly climb up. We reached the top just as the sun was starting to rise.

"Did you ever wonder what caused you and your two friends to come to our world?" Nanaki asked me.

"Yes, but I have no idea how it could happen. Your world was something I viewed on a TV screen," I said frustratedly. "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that," I quickly apologized.

"Your friend Matthew said some things harsher than that. He told me that you would know all of us here because he said you were connected somehow, though he didn't know how or why." Nanaki said.

"I don't feel connected at all. I was in a room with two other guys, one was my friend, Matt, the other was an enemy about to kill me. His name was Jake," I told the red beast.

Nanaki looked at me with the quickest look of worry, then it went away. "I had a dream two weeks ago about three outsiders coming to our world. Also, geostigma started popping up a little over a month ago. Its all interconnected."

"Do you know how?" I asked.

"I have a theory, that Sephiroth isn't really dead and is controlling the new wave of geostigma. Between that and the three of you arriving, I believe its all connected."

I was stunned at the thought of Sephiroth still being alive and being the cause of all this. I didn't doubt Nanaki but at the end of Advent Children, Cloud had killed the General again. Yet somehow in my gut I knew that it could only be him.

"How long has it been since Cloud killed Sephiroth during the last geostigma outbreak?" I asked.

"A little over a year," the red beast replied.

_So its been over a year since Advent Children_, I thought. "Have you seen the third guy, Jake? He was the one that came into my house on the night of the event and tried to kill Matt and I," I asked.

"No, I have not. Why would he try to kill you?" Nanaki asked in return

"Lets just say he's a big bully at school and I was in his way," I answered.

Nanaki looked up into the morning dawn for a moment. "Come with me," he ordered.

I followed without hesitation. We went down from the plateau back towards the town. Nanaki pointed to another building in the town, a hideout maybe. Maybe just a residence or apartment, I didn't know.

"You can come out now Matthew," Nanaki said.

I was stunned as a friend walked out of the building, and I ran towards him. Now normally I am not the hugging type but this situation warranted it.

"Matt!" I yelled happily and embraced him.

"James, its good to see you man, I thought you were dead!" He screamed happily in return.

Matt proceeded to tell me about how he landed here in Cosmo Canyon to begin with and was found by Nanaki on day 2. The turks showed up later but Nanaki gave them false information. Now, he had been here for a week, training with Nanaki.

"Training?" I asked. "For what?"

"The upcoming battle man. Haven't you paid any attention to what Nanaki has said? You played this game, you should know your way around better than anyone else." Matt smirked at me.

It was true that Matt looked like he was better built and put some muscle on.

"Let me show you what I can do now," Matt smiled like a little kid. He stretched out his hand and a small bolt of fire came out of it, traveling about 20 feet before dissipating. "All from this little green ball. What did you call it when you were playing, materia?" he boasted.

"How are you even able to control that shit. I thought it wasn't possible for us."

"Nah, it is but it takes a lot of practice. Also, it saps your energy quickly and after a training session, I need a nap. But check this out too." Matt pulled out a sword, a broad sword that could be wielded one handed with proper strength, but Matt needed two hands to wield it. Matt swung it around like he knew a little about sword play. "Supposedly, when your fast enough, coupled with materia, you can deflect bullets here," he said excitedly. "Nanaki can train us."

"Yeah but Matt, how realistic is that. There's no way in hell we're getting involved, especially if it concerns Sephiroth. Our best bet is to just lay low." I said with a stern voice.

"Even so, you need to learn how to survive here. Come with me, your training begins now James Sully," Nanaki butted in.

"But we don't have any equipment," I sighed.

"I will provide it," Nanaki said. "You have an important part to play. None of us know what that is yet, but you must be ready." Nanaki quickly threw me a sword.

The sword was heavy. It was a scimitar that looked a little beaten up. I was hoping for a katana but I guess this would have to do. As Nanaki stepped in front of me, I braced myself. This was going to be hard.

...

Tifa drove as fast as she could in her car with Zack at the passenger seat. Reno sped through the streets of Edge with Tifa barely keeping up. Soon they cleared the main city boundary and drove up to the healin lodge.

"Come with me and don't start yelling at Rufus or anything. Let me do the initial talking," Reno commanded Zack.

Zack knew this was going to be tough. There was so much he wanted to unload on Rufus Shinra but Reno was correct in that yelling at the former President wouldn't solve anything. Hell, Rufus wasn't even president when he was in SOLDIER.

Reno slowly opened the door. "Sir I have Tifa Lockhart and Zack Fair here to see you." Reno grimaced. Maybe it would have been better if he went in alone to explain the situation to his boss.

"Are you joking with me Reno? Tifa Lockhart I believe but Zack is dead. He's been dead for some time," Rufus coolly said.

"Uh sir, I apologize, but I am not joking. You know that pond that had healing powers that dried up at the church? Well that was Zack being resurrected. I'm sorry its so sudden but I swear I just found out. He's here to see you."

Rufus Shinra came around the corner and stood still, eyes gaining a very serious tone. He gazed at the raven haired man in front of him. "So your supposedly Zack. You haven't changed at all physically since being killed. Very intriguing that someone like you was brought back from the dead. But how and why, I wonder? Was it your Cetra friend in the lifestream, Aerith Gainsborough" he said calmly.

Zack couldn't take it anymore. The man who was the face of Shinra Inc. stood in front of him. He rushed forward and grabbed Rufus by the collar. "Don't you dare speak of her," he said, acid dripping from his voice.

Quickly, Reno brandished his EMR and held it to Zack's neck. Tifa took up a fighting pose threatening Reno and all were deadlocked.

"Put the President down Zack!" Reno commanded.

"After everything he and his company is responsible for Reno, I can't believe you'd still work for the man," Zack hissed back.

After a few tense moments, Rufus ended up speaking. "You truly are Zackary Fair. I can tell because just like you were all those years ago, you still jump head first into a situation without a plan. Just like, oh...what was it? A puppy?" Rufus smirked. "What were you planning to do? Beat me to a pulp? Then you wouldn't get the answers that you and Tifa so desperately want and you won't find out where Cloud is heading to."

Zack's ears perked up at that, and he set the blonde down. Reno put away his EMR and Tifa relaxed.

"Cloud? Where's he headed to?" Zack asked.

"Before I tell you that, why don't you tell me why your back and why Tifa came with you?" Rufus countered.

"I'm here because of Denzel and Cloud," Tifa butted in. "Denzel has geostigma again and Cloud has been acting a little strange. He's having nightmare's that are alarming, and coupled with the geostigma...I don't know," she finished.

"To put it simply, there has been a reemergence of geostigma. We think its Sephiroth's will, that he still didn't die from the last battle," Rufus said.

Reno stepped up next. "Sir, Zack here has a story of how he was brought back to life and it relates to Sephiroth. Tell him Zack."

"Rufus, I was in the lifestream, it was like heaven. And yes, I was with Aerith and Angeal. Then Sephiroth appeared and fought against us, claiming he was going to take back what was his and torment Cloud. He had some new thing where he could wield darkness and Angeal and I lost. Before he killed me, Aerith put herself in the line of fire and sacrificed herself against him; casting some sort of forbidden spell or something that brought me back. Sephiroth told me about how he was coming back to the physical world and would see me there. Then I woke up in the now dried up pond at Aerith's church," Zack finished.

Rufus stared for a moment then spoke up. "Looks like all this really is our former general," he said calmly. "Cloud is being haunted and it must be him. He showed me the marks Sephiroth left on his body in his sleep and told me of the nightmares he has been having. Furthermore, I sensed a presence, like a burden on Cloud's back when he and I talked. It went with him when he left."

Zack's eyes widened. "So in the lifestream, when Sephiroth showed me the nightmare's he was giving Cloud...all that was true?

"Some of it might have been true, some lies, maybe half truths. I would say though that Sephiroth showed you what he wanted you to see." Rufus replied.

"So where is Cloud now?" Tifa asked.

"He was here early this morning, its getting late now and knowing that you would try to go after him, I have arranged for an airship to pick you up in the morning, then it will take a few hours to get to the Northern Continent. I suggest you get some sleep. I have Rude tracking Cloud's movements but he is an hour late in filing his latest report. I fear Rude may lose him. Cloud's last known position was a port on the northern coast next to Edge. He was boarding a ship bound for the Northern continent. It will take him almost a day to cross the sea," Rufus said.

Tifa stared into space before speaking. "He's going either to the Forgotten Capital or to the Northern Cave Crater," she said in an eerily calm voice.

"Sephiroth must be directing him to one of those locations. Reno, try to contact Rude and keep trying. As soon as Tseng and Elena get here this evening, you three will meet up with Rude and head to the Northern Crater, while Zack and Tifa can head to the Forgotten Capital in the airship. At Cloud's current speed, he will reach the Forgotten Capital by late tomorrow evening, maybe an hour before Midnight, or the Northern Crater 4-5 hours later. Whatever his plans are, we must not let Sephiroth influence Cloud to carry them out. We intercept Cloud and capture him, then bring him back here," Rufus ordered.

Zack looked excited but worried at the same time. He knew it was time to go to battle and while happy to get to see Cloud, he also knew he would have to save him from whatever was after him.

Rufus walked over to Tifa. "Tifa, you can have Denzel brought here if you want while you and Zack are after Cloud. We have an advanced medical squad here to look after him."

Zack stepped in with a frown on his face. "Tifa, do you really trust this so called staff. Maybe they are more crazy scientists who will experiment on Denzel, just like they did to Cloudy and I."

"Hojo was killed and his entire 'crazy' staff was killed when Meteor fell. This is just a small medical squad dedicated to helping find a cure and take care of Denzel at the same time. Those days of Shinra experimenting are gone Zack." Rufus coolly told him.

"I don't believe you," Zack flatly stated.

"Zack, its ok. Its all we can do now. We will bring Denzel here," Tifa said.

Now all they could do was go to sleep and get up early to get on the airship to chase after Cloud. Zack sat on a chair, looking down at his hands. He missed the days of bugging the Chocobo head by ruffling his hair. It would be so good to see him. But how would Cloud feel. Zack shuddered at the thought of Cloud rejecting him, but found it ridiculous that his friend would do that. Now all he could do was wait till morning however.

"Don't worry Spike," he said calmly to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. "I will save you, I will be there for you, like old times."

_..._

_Hehehe, Zack still feels for his best friend, its adorable haha. But can he save Cloud? And yes, Zack still acts like a puppy. Also, I really like Nanaki and had to find a way to put him in the story. So I hoped everyone liked it. Again, please review. It will help me know what everyone is thinking. Also, if you review, I will try to drop a thank you note, its a common courtesy that I was taught. Thanks again for reading. _


	8. Chapter 8

_Hey all, here it is, the next chapter. Sorry if the last two chapters seemed a little dull. Its all part of the setting. These next couple of chapters will be pretty intense so hope you like it all. Please tell me in the reviews. Also, I want to thank Princess Turk for taking the time to send reviews. It really means a lot. Thanks. Now enough of my babbling, here is Chapter 8_

_Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII_

_.._

Swords clashed and fire bolts were shot. I dodged and tried to slice with my sword, but I was easily blocked and was punched in the face. I fell back and hit the ground.

"There's no time to sit on the ground. Dodge!" Nanaki yelled at me as Matt ended up bringing his sword down on me. I rolled out of the way and tried to counter but it was no good. Matt stopped and looked over me.

"This is hopeless," I yelled. "I'm not even close to you in terms of fighting."

"Interesting that you would say that considering how much courage you had when you stood up to Jake. Don't be a pussy," Matt said back at me. Nanaki just watched.

I got back up on my feet and held my sword ready. Matt came at me and I deflected his first swing then tried to counter. Man, Matt was strong, no wonder he was a good football player back on earth.

"Keep your feet moving," Nanaki coached. "Now when that opening is there, take it."

Sure enough, Matt over-swung his sword and there was a brief opening. I took it and drew a little blood from Matt's arm. Matt was still quick though and he nicked me in the thigh on his back swing. I yelled in pain as a bit of blood was drawn.

"Relax, its just a flesh wound," Matt chuckled.

"You call this just a flesh wound? And your shoulder's bleeding heavily, how can you just laugh at it?" I said, shocked that Matt wasn't worried.

"Maybe its been a while since you played the game, but what did you do when you were injured?" Matt asked. I looked at him with an awkward expression, not understanding what he was getting at.

"Cura," Nanaki said, suddenly butting in our conversation. A wave of energy washed over Matt and I and suddenly my thigh felt fine and Matt's shoulder was no longer bleeding.

"See, no big deal," Matt smiled. I just sat there dumbstruck.

"Now on to materia training," Nanaki said. "Sure the sword combat is good but what if your opponent is resistant to a sword slash?"

"But we've been training for four hours," I whined.

"You don't have the time to relax. What I am teaching you is very basic at best, just enough to survive but not enough to go take on a whole pack of monsters or wander through the swamps to fight the Midgar Zolom," Nanaki harshly said.

I gulped at the thought of fighting the tall 30 ft snake. _Screw that, _I thought. Matt already had his fire materia but I did not have any materia.

"Here are two materia for you to learn with. One is a thunder materia and the other is a cure materia," Nanaki handed me two green orbs of crystallized Mako. "You have to slot it to a type of equipment you have. Take this wristband, it has two slots in it."

I didn't have to be told twice. The wristband was lightweight and I was able to slot the materia without difficulty. "What about the fire materia Matt has?" I asked.

"Haven't you been paying attention, its right here," Matt said, pointing at the hilt of his sword.

"The trick is to feel the energy flow through you. It will be difficult at first but soon you will get it and your energy levels will grow," Nanaki lectured. "Now try to hit that target I placed with the thunder spell.

I reached my hand out and tried to summon lightning. "Thunder!" I yelled. But nothing happened, I didn't feel anything.

Matt burst out laughing at me. "Hahaha, your supposed to launch the spell, not just shout its name. Nanaki said in time we can cast it without saying the name due to concentration."

"The key is to feel it, James," Nanaki coached me. "Think of the energy running from the core of your body and traveling to your fingertips."

I stood in front of the target, 15 feet away. I then closed my eyes and thought about the energy that Nanaki talked about. Concentrating really hard, I felt the energy in my core and tried to guide it to my left hand. As I felt the energy travel, I barely whispered the name. "Thunder."

A small bolt of lightning shot out of my left hand and struck the target, although it was well off the bullseye. But in any case, I did it. I was so happy that I lost concentration, and felt a sharp pain and numbness at the end of my hand. "Ouch, Dammit," I yelled.

Matt now was laughing even harder. "You got so excited that you shocked yourself hahaha." I glared at him for turning my feeling of success into embarrassment.

Nanaki couldn't help but smile a little. "Don't lose concentration on the spell until your done casting it or you will experience feedback on certain spells."

...

As the evening drew closer and the sun was setting, I was exhausted. It had been three days of solid training and I swore I had been through hell and back. My body ached and Matt wasn't doing much better. Nanaki decided to let us have the rest of the evening off and we decided to hit up the local Cosmo Canyon bars.

"Maybe all this alcohol will help dull the pain in my ass," Matt said with a somewhat drunk look on his face.

I stared and laughed. "Haha, looks like your having a little too much."

"Nonsense. If anything, your having too little, your only on your second beer."

"Sorry, I choose to enjoy mine and not pound 5 immediately to get shit faced."

Matt rolled his eyes before picking up a sixth beer. We also had some good grub but to be honest I was feeling almost a little sick to my stomach. Maybe I was catching something, and maybe I was just plain ol' tired. But I wasn't prepared to for what was next.

"Bartender, put their drinks on my tab," a familiar voice said.

I looked around and was stunned to find the last missing person from when we were drawn through the portal. "Jake, what the hell? Where have you been."

"What, no hello or thanks for the free drinks? Anyways, I fell somewhere on this continent and ended up in some backwater town. I can't even remember the name of it, started with an N."

"Nibelheim," I said.

"Yeah, thats it. Kind people but kinda red neckish. I see you know your way around here. That's good. It means I can travel with you guys and not worry about getting lost. Besides, I think its time to leave this hippie town anyways."

Matt and I exchanged looks before looking back at Jake.

"Hey now," Jake suddenly butted in. "Things have changed. I'm not gonna try to kill you both. Hell, everything we knew and loved is gone. Our lives are completely changed forever now. Might as well be a threesome right? Strength in numbers."

"No offense but you did try to kill us," Matt said. "You shot at us both."

"If it makes you feel better, the gun is gone. I am unarmed and alone," Jake replied.

I finished downing my beer and then stood up. "Alright, but we need to spend time here for another day. There's cheap lodging nearby, why don't you grab a room for the night."

"Nah, I figured it would be better to just leave tonight. I know where we can go. See there's this big city on the eastern continent."

"Edge City," I told Jake.

"Yeah, thats the one. Its apparently got a large population. We could go there, share rooms to keep rent down, and land jobs. We could start to make a new living for ourselves," Jake told us, laying out his plan.

"I don't know, we should check with Nanaki," Matt said. I looked over at Matt with a glare, meaning for him not to reveal who he was to Jake. I figured the less Jake knew the better.

"Who's Nana..what?" Jake asked, trying to pronounce the name.

"Umm, well he's just some hippie we met here that helped us out," I lied. "We should at least say bye. Also, lets spend one night and sit on it. My body is worn out anyway from all the walking and we could all use some shut eye."

"Alright then, well lets meet back here in the morning," Jake told us.

"Sounds good to us," Matt said. "And...well...thanks for the drinks," he stammered.

"Hehe, no problem, hope your not too hung over tomorrow morning," Jake smirked. Then he left.

I stared up at the sky as I walked out of the bar. Matt looked at me with a curious face.

"Why did you lie to him about Nanaki?" he asked.

"Because I don't know what Jake's motives are yet. I don't trust that bastard. The less he knows the better," I replied with a bit of acid on my tongue.

"Fair enough, but eventually, you will have to tell him everything. We are stuck on this planet now," Matt said.

...

That night I snuck out of the Inn and went to where Nanaki was. My stomach was in pain and I didn't know why. I didn't feel sick, just...well something wasn't right.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Nanaki asked me.

"I can't sleep right now. Something doesn't feel right. Nanaki, Jake found us. He is here and he wants us all to head to Edge City. Do you think we should do it?" I asked.

"Do you really have to follow him? What would happen if you said no?" the red beast asked me.

"I don't know. He claimed he wasn't going to challenge us but I don't trust him. But I also don't want him to know that you have been training us," I replied back.

Nanaki looked up at the stars. "So something feels wrong in your gut too?" he asked, changing the subject.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you hear the planet crying out. Something bad happened tonight. Real bad. I can hear the planet screaming down right in my soul. Maybe its why you feel sick to your stomach," Nanaki whispered in a lower voice.

...

As he arrived off the boat at the Northern Continent, Cloud Strife made his way toward the Forgotten Capital. He checked the time and saw that he had three hours left before midnight.

"Hurry Cloud, or everyone will die," a voice smirked at him.

"I will kill you again Sephiroth. You won't intimidate me," Cloud firmly said. The blonde moved on and continued to trek towards the Forgotten Capital.

Memories flooded Cloud's mind, and in particular one caused him to break.

"Aerith," he tearfully said as he approached. "I know you never blamed me but being back here, that memory playing out in my head; it still hurts. I know you told me to forgive myself and I am working on it, but this pain, I...I am sorry for not protecting you."

Cloud wiped his tears and moved on. In front of him was the lake where Kadaj and his gang had poisoned the children with tainted lifestream. Further in was the structure. As Cloud got closer he started to feel pressure on his chest.

"Your here Cloud. Thats good. Now, my puppet. Bring me back."

"Never. Screw you Sephiroth, I won't help you at all you son of a bitch," Cloud said, voice dripping with acid.

"Now Cloud, don't you want your orphan brat to be healed of geostigma?" Sephiroth questioned.

"Cloud, you said you'd protect me. You promised," Denzel's voice suddenly cried out.

Cloud whirled around and saw Denzel standing in front of him. The black ooze from geostigma was dripping down over his face from his forehead. Denzel's eyes watered up and he ran to Cloud, gripping him tight in a hug.

"You promised Cloud, please. Please find a cure. I know you can cure me of this. Cloud...your my...your my hero."

Cloud struggled to hold back tears of his own and when he tried to blink them away, Denzel suddenly wasn't there. A cold presence crept up behind him.

"Cloud, surely you want to help the boy," Sephiroth said in that smooth voice. "Bringing me back cures him of his disease."

"The disease that you gave him," Cloud accused back.

"Of course I gave it to him. It was the only way I would get you to listen and not keep running. Come Cloud, do you really think you can keep that family."

"Like before Sephiroth, anytime you mention Tifa or Denzel, no matter how much you slander them I know they are my family. I love them and they love me," Cloud stated. "And it doesn't matter how many bloody images of you killing them you show me. As long as your not alive physically, you can't harm them. And you can't hurt me."

"Cloud, I don't need to hurt you to do what I want. There is someone far closer to you that has already hurt you more than I ever will," Sephiroth chuckled. "Here have a look, puppet. While you were being the delivery boy, a miracle happened. See the pond in the Cetra's Church?" Sephiroth pointed at the lake water and it turned clear so Cloud could see images on it, like looking through glass.

Cloud stepped up and through the lake, saw the pond in Aerith's church condense into green lifestream and Zack Fair be reborn. He was stunned but shook his head. "I don't believe anything you show me Sephiroth."

"Then how about this," Sephiroth continued to smile evilly. He focused and a cellphone levitated from the ground over to Cloud's hand. "That cellphone is from the Turk who was trying to track you. I believe you know him as Rude. It was easy to mind control a swarm of monsters to attack him and have one of them bring his device here. Read the messages."

Cloud looked at the phone and after checking the ID card in it, he knew it was Rude's. Then he saw the text from Rufus. "Rude, don't let Cloud get to the Forgotten Capital, stall him. Tifa and Zack are on their way along with Reno. And yes, Zack Fair is alive. I just met him earlier in the living room of our lodge. Here's a surveillance photo." Cloud scrolled down and saw the photo. Sure enough, the photo was of Zack, Rufus, Tifa and Reno standing in the front entrance of the Healin Lodge.

Cloud dropped the cellphone. He was stunned and lost his voice suddenly. "Z..Zack," He said quietly.

Sephiroth's spirit walked over to him and put a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Cloud, that's not the hurtful part. Its this part here. Remember when I told you in your dream that Tifa was a whore and that you had no true family? I wasn't lying." Sephiroth stretched his hand over the water and its surface showed a very intimate image.

Cloud looked in disgust as Zack and Tifa sat up in the bedroom of the bar, making out and feeling each other up. He looked on as their clothes both came off and they laid down together on the bed. Tifa grabbed Zack's large member and continued to pleasure him. The blonde gulped loudly as he looked at Zack's huge muscular body, the tight abs and massive arms that then enfolded Tifa once she was finished. He whispered something in her ear and she snuggled into his chest, burying her face into the side of his neck.

He couldn't look anymore. He kicked the lake with rage, causing the image to break up, and then he leaned over and puked all over the ground.

"See Cloud, I wasn't lying. It is better to be my puppet," Sephiroth beamed. "And Don't think that that's a false image. You know Zackary has a large sex drive. He is like a puppy after all."

"I still won't help you return. I will sacrifice my life Sephiroth, but your not coming back," Cloud finished.

The General then frowned and used what spiritual strength he could muster to manifest in the real world. He grabbed Cloud and threw him on the ground. "You still don't get it do you!" he yelled. "The only one who will accept you is me. I am your only family, and you will serve me."

Cloud got up and pulled out the First Tsurugi. He slashed at Sephiroth but it was useless as the blade passed through him. "Just kill me then Sephiroth. Isn't that what you want, since I foiled your past plans?"

"No Cloud, I don't want to kill you, what would I do without you? Its far worse for you when your hurt than when your dead. Death is the easy way out. Pain is so much more fun. Your pain, is fun. It brings me joy Cloud to see you in pain. Don't you get it yet? Your pain, and frustration and depression, sustain me and bring me happiness." Sephiroth smiled in a twisted way. "And the beauty here is that I am not the one who caused the pain. Your own friend and your wife, betrayed you. He didn't want to see you, all he cared about was screwing your wife."

The blonde looked beyond Sephiroth's spirit for a moment than shut his eyes. Tears started falling down his cheeks, as he was unable to contain his pain anymore. "Why me?" he asked.

"Because it had to be you Cloud. From the moment you attacked me in that mako reactor all those years ago, trying to avenge Zack and Tifa, that's when it had to be you. I knew from that moment on, that you and I would be intertwined forever. The truth however, is that I am stronger. And so you shall serve me," Sephiroth beamed.

Cloud continue to let the tears fall down his face, not knowing what to do anymore. Would life always be hellish like this? Was he doomed to an eternity of facing Sephiroth? He wanted to just crawl under a rock and die. He was tired of being the planet's savior, always fighting off Sephiroth.

"I will make you a deal Cloud," Sephiroth said. "You resurrect me, and I will not harm you or those closest to you, so long as they don't try to stop us. You will be with me Cloud, and we will rule together." Sephiroth now seemed honest with him, using a caring face and a smooth voice. "I will never lie to you Cloud, and I will never trick you."

_Why was Sephiroth being so nice now_, Cloud thought. He couldn't decipher the General's emotions. Sephiroth always had a smooth side to him, but it was also evil and manipulative.

"Despair is comforting Cloud. Its easy to despair and not care about the rest of the world. You have done so much for them and yet they are unappreciative."

"That's not true..." Cloud shouted but was interrupted.

"Yes it is, my puppet. If they truly cared you and Tifa and Denzel would have been made comfortable and you wouldn't have to resort to being a delivery boy. Face it Cloud...no one cares about you, Tifa or your orphan," Sephiroth told him. "You once said to me in a fight that I was wrong, that there wasn't a thing that you don't cherish. However, can you cherish something that betrays you, and doesn't cherish you in return?

Cloud looked up at the sky, the dark sky with a moon hanging above it. The moon looked sad. So did the stars. More tears fell down the blonde's face.

"If I help you, in addition to not harming my friends, will you remove Denzel's geostigma?"

"Of course Cloud. Its the least I can do," Sephiroth replied.

"Also, I want to know what your plan is," Cloud shot back.

"Of course," was Sephiroth's only reply. "however, you must resurrect me first," he added.

Cloud continued to look up. _Do I do it?_ He thought. He was in agony but he was tired. Tired of the same old bullshit. Tired of people dying then coming back to life, then dying again; all while the planet looked at him as its savior and yet its people unthankful. And the icing on the cake was that Tifa betrayed him; betrayed him for his best friend. _Well, at least their safe if I go through with this._

"Fine, you win. What must I do?" Cloud gave in.

"First you must step into the lake and put a drop of your blood into it. Just a pinprick is fine," Sephiroth directed. As Cloud walked into the lake, Sephiroth's ghost disappeared.

Cloud cut his finger slightly and dropped a little blood into it. The water turned from clear to black and radiated out from where the blood hit the surface. Out of the the tainted water rose a long sword, a very long Katana. _Masamune,_ Cloud thought, shocked at seeing the sword rise from the water. The legendary blade floated towards the air and hovered over the blonde.

"Next, take my sword and draw this diagram," Sephiroth showed Cloud in his mind. Cloud took Masamune, it was extremely heavy and the blonde could barely hold it. But he dragged it along the ground until a large 7 star shaped symbol with glyphs in each section was drawn, like a Pentagram with two extra points.

"Plunge the sword into the center Cloud," Sephiroth directed next in Cloud's mind.

Cloud took the sword and stuck it in the ground in the center of the symbol. The symbol started to glow a faint blue and the sword vanished into the ground. Clouds started to swirl overhead, blocking out the night sky. And then lightning flashed, blinding the blonde momentarily. When he opened his eyes back up, there the General was, lying on the symbol, shirtless.

"Your not done yet Cloud," Sephiroth said to him now audibly. "Come grab my hand, help me up. My strength will return over the course of an hour. Come help me."

Cloud gulped as he looked at Sephiroth lying on his back in the center of the symbol, now glowing more brightly. That body was still sharp and ripped, very muscular. The tall General still had that impressive physique and that imposing presence. Now Cloud wondered what the hell he was doing. But he couldn't stop, even if he wanted to. It was too late. The blonde stretched his hand forward and gripped the hand of his nemesis with uncertainty. And then...it was too late to turn back.

"My empty puppet, I thank you. But did you really think I would help you?" Sephiroth smiled evilly.

The symbol suddenly turned an ominous red and a loud crack was heard, like thunder. Cloud suddenly lost the strength to stand and collapsed onto the ground. His body went numb and his eyes were heavy. _What the hell is going on, why am I suddenly weak?_

As if reading his thoughts, Sephiroth got up, now fully clothed in his SOLDIER garments. "My puppet, you have transferred your energy to me. It was enough to finally bring me back. Well done my faithful puppet. I couldn't have done it without you and your self loathing, depressed behavior. Thanks to you, this world is going to burn..."

_To be continued..._

_Nooooo! Cloud, what are you doing? Hope you like the scene and I hope it was intense enough. Please tell me in the reviews. Now the fun begins as Sephy is back and as evil as ever. Also, hoped you liked my little cookie throw to Zack/Tifa. This isn't a story about that but Seph had to use evil imagery to hurt the chocobo head. And yes, the pain that Nanaki and James feel is this event. I think for the next chapter I will post a timeline of events so everyone understands how it unfolds. Thanks for reading and please review. The next chapter will be up soon. _


	9. Chapter 9

_Alright, I finally got to it. I'm sorry if you have been waiting but it was difficult to type this between work and school. I also apologize for any grammar mistakes. I proof read it but I have been really busy. I want to thank those who reviewed the last chapter. You all help me keep going. Enjoy Chapter 9._

_Disclaimer: I Do not own FFVII. _

(ending from chapter 8) - "Well done my faithful puppet. I couldn't have done it without you and your self loathing, depressed behavior. Thanks to you, this world is going to burn..."

Estuans interius ira vehementi

Estuans interius ira vehementi

Sephiroth

Sephiroth

Distraught over what he had just done, Cloud tried to stand up and summon enough strength to get First Tsurugi. But it was no use. He tried to deflect the blow from Sephiroth's Masamune but the cut sent the sword flying out of Cloud's hands. Sephiroth then stepped in front of Cloud and punched the blonde's face. Cloud flew several feet off the ground and landed on his back, blood flowing from his lips. He was just too weak from Sephiroth draining his energy.

The General walked over to his puppet. "Just lie there Cloud, lie there and give up. You have singlehandedly condemned this world to death. Its better if you just lie down and accept fate," Sephiroth gloated.

As the blonde was on his back, another tear came from his eye. What the hell had he just done and why couldn't he stop. _I'm so stupid, completely worthless. I can't resist Sephiroth's call, and now the world has to pay for my mistakes, again. I deserve to die. _He thought.

Sephiroth picked Cloud up by his collar in the front, and lifted the blonde with his right hand off the ground to look eye level with him. "Look at me Cloud," he commanded.

Cloud couldn't bare to look at his tormenter. But he felt deep in his soul that he had to.

"Don't you see puppet? Look at what you have done. I am so proud of you. Enjoy being in despair for the rest of your miserable life. Here, I will give you a physical reminder too."

Sephiroth pulled up Masamune's tip to Cloud's exposed left shoulder and slowly pushed the tip against the blonde's skin. Then he carved a symbol slowly into Cloud's right shoulder. Cloud wanted to scream but he lacked the strength. The pain was great and heavy beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. Cloud tried to squirm but Sephiroth's grip was too great. When Sephiroth was done he smiled evilly at his creation and threw Cloud to the ground.

Cloud looked at his shoulder. The bloody scar that was forming had two symbols. 絶望 (despair). He had carved the Japanese kanji for despair right into his shoulder. That bastard. And yet there was nothing Cloud could do.

"And now Cloud, you will serve me. Let's go my puppet, I have much to train you in if your going to be of any worth," Sephiroth said as he began to walk towards Cloud again.

Cloud could do nothing, he felt nothing but pain and despair. He just wanted to die but now his tormenter wouldn't let him. Why did his life suck so much? And where were his friends when he needed them? But then again, he wondered if he really had friends.

...

"Zack, we have to hurry, something doesn't feel right," Tifa yelled as she and Zack ran through the woods toward the forgotten capital.

Zack didn't need to be told twice. He could sense the ominous presence in the air and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up. _Hang on Cloudy, I'm almost there. _

Tifa was worried about Cloud. _Why the hell had he run off like this?_ She wondered. She equipped her materia and was ready for anything to come her way. She also had Zack with her and knew he could handle just about anything.

Just a little further. Zack could see the outline of the Forgotten Capital ahead and reached the other side of the lake. He used the brush to hide his presence and was stunned when he saw Sephiroth get up off the ground in full uniform. The long silver hair still flowed like it had all those years ago and just like in the life stream. Then Zack saw nothing but red and was filled with rage. There was Cloud, on the ground, bleeding and about to be finished off or whisked away by Sephiroth. He would not let that happen.

"Tifa, I'm going in. Get to Cloud and heal him. Sephiroth is mine," he said coldly. His eyes were no longer a complete blue but had a small ring of green in the center as he felt his chest heave in and out with rage and anger. Zack Fair jumped into action, using the bushes to hide himself to make his way as close to Sephiroth as possible before jumping out and brandishing the Buster Sword.

"SEPHIROTH!" he screamed. Sephiroth turned Masamune just at the right moment to block the swing. It was a powerful swing and Sephiroth dug his heels into the ground and was pushed back several feet as Zack pushed the Buster Sword against Masamune.

"Zackary, its so nice to see you. I thought you wouldn't make it in time." Sephiroth said coolly. He spun Masamune around the Buster sword and took a swipe at Zack's neck.

Zack ducked and then swung at the General's legs, but Sephiroth jumped over his swing and back. They stared at each other intensely for a couple of seconds. Then Zack stuck his left hand out, palm facing Sephiroth. "Flare," he shouted.

"Wall," Sephiroth countered. The massive sun like fire ball crashed into an invisible barrier that revealed itself in a flash of white light. Sephiroth had blocked the shot. Then Sephiroth suddenly teleported away from Zack and ascended into the air.

"Descend...heartless angel."

"Oh no you don't. Haste," Zack said and then ran at a super fast pace that left an after image. He brought the Buster sword right at Sephiroth's midsection and drew fresh blood.

"Arrgh. Well done Zackary. I see you haven't lost your edge. Dispel." Sephiroth commanded and Zack lost the power of Haste.

Zack didn't miss a beat however. He quickly struck again with his sword and drove Sephiroth back. Drawing on all of his training from Angeal, he clashed swords with the General for what seemed like an eternity. Sephiroth swiped at his mid-section but Zack parried and countered to Sephiroth's shoulder. That too was deflected. Zack dug in for the long haul. This was going to be a tough fight.

...

Tifa got over to Cloud and immediately cast a cura spell on him. Cloud woke up from his shock and looked at Tifa.

"Is it true," he asked.

"Is what true Cloud?" she asked back.

"Did you really sleep with Zack? he said with tears in his eyes. Cloud hoped it wasn't true. But he partly did because then he had another excuse. Either way, it was his own fault and he was so worn out, he was too tired to cry anymore.

"No Cloud, I would never do that. I love you. I love you Cloud. And no matter what, I will be here for you," she said and leaned into Cloud, kissing him on those soft lips. She tasted dirt, and then saw the scar on his shoulder. She broke into tears and hugged him, helping him sit up in the process.

"Then Sephiroth was lying to me, but it felt so real Tifa. I...I am sorry for being so weak," Cloud spoke softly. He couldn't bare to look at the woman he called his wife. He didn't deserve her. Hell, he didn't deserve to live.

Tifa helped Cloud get to his feet. "Let's get out of here Cloud. There's no way you can fight or help Zack in this condition."

...

Swords continued to clash. Sephiroth stabbed at Zack but the raven haired SOLDIER parried the sword and slashed horizontally at the General's midsection. Sephiroth dodged and shot a massive fireball at Zack. Zack countered by summoning a massive Ice Crystal and it blocked the flames. Zack then used Rush Assault, taught to him by Angeal.

"I still remember Angeal, I will prove my honor to you," Zack said as he began glowing. He then charged at Sephiroth and quickly punched and kicked at him. Sephiroth blocked the first few shots but couldn't deflect them all and took several big hits. The General stumbled back, a bit stunned from the attack.

"Damn you. I won't let you spoil my victory. Cloud is mine and he will serve me," Sephiroth cursed. He activated his own limit break and used Octaslash on Zack. Zack knew he couldn't dodge so he cast wall and then took some of the damage from Sephiroth's eight slashes. Blood was dripping from his torso, but he had to go on.

"Zack, lets get out of here!" Tifa yelled. "I've phoned in Reno, he'll be here in sixty seconds."

As if on queue, Zack could hear the whirling blades of the Shinra chopper coming in. But Zack also knew Sephiroth could easily just cut it down. He had to do something or this would all be for naught. Sephiroth was ready to charge him again. He blocked Masamune and dodged, but he too was running out of stamina. Then he realized it. He pulled out a red materia.

"Sorry for putting you through this but we need you right now, Bahamut." The red materia glowed, and Zack felt a huge amount of his remaining magic power leave him to summon the dragon. Glowing symbols and glyphs filled the air and in a flash of light, Bahamut materialized to fight the General, just as Reno dropped the chopper in on the Forgotten Capital.

"Hurry up yo. That dragon's not gonna last forever," Reno yelled above the chopper noise.

Tifa didn't have to be yelled at twice. She helped Cloud into the chopper while Zack was sprinting towards it. In the background, Bahamut launched a megaflare at Sephiroth, who held out Masamune to block the shot. The shockwave hit Zack from behind, knocking him off his feet, just as the chopper was starting to lift off. Zack quickly got up and ran towards the chopper hovering a few feet off the ground. He jumped as hard as he could and grabbed onto one of the rails below the chopper door, legs dangling beneath him as he held on while the chopper flew above the treetops. Tseng quickly grabbed him and pulled him into the chopper, shutting the door behind Zack.

All the Turks were inside the helicopter, they even recovered Rude, who was injured but ok. "Next stop is the Healin Lodge yo," Reno barked out over the noise of the whirling blades.

...

Down below, Sephiroth deflected another megaflare. _How did Zack possess the great Bahamut? _He wondered. But no matter. He quickly unleashed several slashes of energy which cut into the dragon. Then he jumped and plunged Masamune right into the back of Bahamut's neck. The dragon roared with pain before phasing out of existence into a bluish energy hue that dissipated.

The General was tired but more angered than anything else. Zackary Fair had disrupted his plan to take Cloud with him and brainwash him. Yes, it was fun that Cloud was in pain, but it would be even more fun once Cloud was his and fought by his side and did his bidding. Sephiroth looked up at the night sky and smiled evilly. Cloud would be his in the end and everyone else would suffer. He then remembered he had a meeting to get to that he had told a young man to be at by mid day. He'd best get going, the Forgotten Capital would always be here for him to use as his base. But Sephiroth had questions that needed to be answered. And so, the General started walking towards the shoreline to the south.

..

In the Shinra Chopper, amongst all the loud noises, Zack looked at Cloud, who was in Tifa's arms, exhausted at what had happened. The other Turks looked away from Zack, Cloud, and Tifa, trying to mind their own business. Zack scooted closer to Cloud and looked at Tifa, who nodded at him and let go of Cloud. Cloud looked up and then at Zack, who smiled at him.

"Z...Zack. Your really alive," Cloud whispered, barely getting the words out. He was happy and yet ashamed that he was in Zack's presence, ashamed at what he had just done. And though the blonde thought he couldn't shed anymore tears, he did, right as Zack put his big muscular arms around him.

"Hey Cloudy, yeah I'm back. I know everything right now kinda sucks, but I'm glad to see you again Chocobo."

Cloud tried to say something but Zack put a finger to his lips. "Not now Cloud. I want you to rest. We can talk a ton tomorrow. But right now, rest," Zack ordered softly.

Cloud didn't have to be told again. He nuzzled his head into Zack's chest and the tears quickly stopped. He smelled the grime from fighting Sephiroth on Zack but he also smelled the SOLDIER's distinct smell too and it put him at ease. The blonde eventually fell asleep in Zack's arms.

Zack looked down at Cloud and continued to have that soft smile. Although it was painful up to this point with losing Aerith and Angeal in the lifestream, he was really happy to have the Chocobo head back in his arms. Good memories flooded Zack's mind from when they were both a part of Shinra. They were and Zack hoped they always would be, the best of friends.

"Don't worry Cloud," he whispered. "It may have been one of the shittiest days of our lives but tomorrow the sun will shine and everything will be better. I promise."

...

"Come on, lets go already, we are gonna be late at this rate," Jake said to Matt and I.

I ended up falling asleep later and although I didn't get much sleep that night, I felt better in the morning. The stomach pain was gone. Hopefully what Nanaki was talking about the previous night would turn out to be nothing. But remembering what he had said about the planet and it speaking to him made me nervous.

"So what's the plan Jake, go all the way back to Costa Del Sol to catch a ship to Edge City? That's a long walk," Matt asked.

"Ha, you forget Matt. I am Jake Almasy and I always get what I want. And what I want is a car." As if on queue, Jake looked over and a car drove up.

"Here is the rental you ordered sir, with enough fuel to get to Costa Del Sol like you requested," the driver said.

"Ah, excellent," Jake smiled and handed the guy 5,000 gil.

"Shit, where did you get all that money from Jake?" I asked.

Jake just grinned a sinister grin. "Oh you know, from different areas since I have been here."

"You mean you stole it," Matt chimed in.

"Hey now, lets not throw accusations around here, I got us a car and that's that. We can make it to Costa Del Sol in 6 hours at this rate," Jake said.

"Well, I'm game, I guess lets load up and go," Matt replied.

I looked over at the car and thought to myself. _From Cosmo Canyon back to Edge City to start a new life with a good friend and a bastard who tried to kill me. You have got to be kidding me. _Before I stepped into the car, I saw in the distance Nanaki, staring at me.

"Hey Matt, do me a favor and load up everything into the car. I will cover for you next time but I gotta do something real quick. I will be right back," I said. He looked over and nodded and I ran to Nanaki. Jake also looked at me but thought nothing of it.

"Your training isn't complete. There is still much more I have to teach you," Nanaki told me.

"Your absolutely right but I have to go with them. You and the two of them are the only ones I know on this planet. I will come back Nanaki, I promise," I said.

"Don't make a promise you can't keep," Nanaki admonished me. "You make the decision. But let me warn you before you leave. Don't trust Jake Almasy. I sense something is not right in his soul. I don't know what but your right when you say not to trust him. Which is all the more reason to not go with him."

I looked back over at Jake then at Nanaki. "Your probably right Nanaki, but If I don't go see whats at Edge City, then I will be stuck here for a while. And I need to get some money to support myself," I replied.

Nanaki let out a long sigh then let me go. "Alright then, I will see you again then if you make it back here."

"I will," I said strongly. With that, I went to Matt and Jake who had the car prepped and we were ready to go.

"Shotgun," Matt yelled and although I was bummed I was riding in the back, it was good to see his spirits high.

...

"Are you sure this is the way," I asked Jake.

"Of course, we aren't lost."

I looked out and saw nothing but desert. I felt like we went north but I was unsure. Costa Del Sol should have been to the east.

"Um, I don't know Jake, it seems like we are lost," Matt said.

"For the last time, we are not lost. I know where we are, and once we reach the coast, Costa Del Sol will be right to the east of us," Jake said angrily.

Something didn't feel right though. If Costa Del Sol was east now then where the hell were we?

"Hey I smell the ocean," Matt said. "We must be close."

"Oh we are, don't worry," Jake said.

Right after he said that we came over a hill and there it was. The ocean, right in front of us. So Costa Del Sol was to the east of us. Jake kept looking though and heading for the water, which was less than a mile away now.

"Hey Jake I love driving on the ocean but don't take us into the water," I said. Jake turned slightly towards something in the distance but I could not tell what it was.

"Don't worry, I know exactly where we are going now."

As Jake drove closer to the speck which was now becoming human sized, I stood in disbelief. _No way, its not possible_, I thought.

"James, who is that?" Matt asked me.

"Shit, we have got to get out of here. Jake turn the car around NOW! We will all die if we don't."

"No James, we won't. He is our transportation," Jake said somberly.

Jake pulled the car right up and shut the engine off before getting out of the car. I sat there stunned.

"Get out of the car now and bow down to him. Do it now or I will kill you both," Jake ordered us.

Both Matt and I got out of the car. I knew there was no escaping him. _How could he be alive,_ I thought.

"I brought them here just like you requested, Lord Sephiroth," Jake said as he bowed to the General. "I see you were able to regain physical form."

"So these are your two friends Jake," Sephiroth said in that eerily calm voice, ignoring Jake's comment on his return.

Matt started to reach for his sword. "Matt put the sword away. There is nothing we can do against Sephiroth. He can kill us by just thinking it," I told Matt. Matt let go of his sword.

"A wise decision. I wouldn't want to have to harm you both yet, not when we haven't even gotten to know each other," Sephiroth smirked.

"So your the reason the planet was screaming last night," I accused the General.

"And how would you know what the planet says? You seem to know much about me already but I don't know much about you, James Sully," Sephiroth smoothly said and he stroked my face. I shuddered at his touch and his gaze, those catlike green eyes piercing my very soul.

"He had help from a dog like beast who was red. I don't know what its name was," Jake spoke up.

"Ah, so Red XIII ended up helping you around here. How trivial, it won't matter. But now I advise you to sleep," Sephiroth said. He stuck his hand out to Matt and I, both of us flinching but nothing happened initially.

"James, I feel super tired all of a sudden. What's happening?" Matt asked me.

"Its a sleep spell, there's nothing we...caaahhhh"...and I crashed onto the beach, fast asleep on the sand. Matt followed quickly.

"Well done Jake Almasy. Continue to serve me faithfully and you will be rewarded," Sephiroth said.

"Yes Lord Sephiroth. It is my whole hearted desire to serve you."

_..._

_Kyyaahhh! Sephy is so evil haha. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. And yes, Jake Almasy is definitely a traitor. If your wondering about the last name, yes I took it from Seifer in FFVIII. I hated Seifer he was such a bastard. But he was also kinda cool at the same time. Please review and I hope you enjoyed it. _


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